Perdue Will Look Into Titan Permits

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Governor Bev Perdue says she will refer any allegations centered on the Titan Cement plant's permitting process to North Carolina's attorney general - if there is any legal reason to do so.

Perdue's comment is a response to a letter sent by campaign watchdog Joe Sinsheimer, who asked the governor to look into the proposed cement plant's permits.

Sinsheimer says the federal investigation into the Department of Environment and Natural Resources surrounding real estate deals tied to former Governor Mike Easley creates a cloud of suspicion around the Titan permits. And so he's urging a 90-day freeze on Titan permitting.

"And given that that environment existed inside DENR during the Easley administration, I think it's critical that we step back from the permitting decision on Titan Cement and take a hard look on everything that's happened to date."

Purdue says she will ask state lawyers to determine if there is a legal reason to delay the permitting process.

To date, DENR has posted all of its permitting documents online and has held public meetings on the issue.

The plant is proposed for New Hanover County, on the banks of the northeast Cape Fear River. If built, the cement plant will be the fourth largest in the nation.

Follow the Process
For DENR Division of Air Quality permits and reports, click here.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@whqr.org.