Titan on very thin ice

A new lawsuit challenging the Titan permitting process reveals the absurdly weak case being put forth by the Department of Administration. The Wilmington Star News has the story.

While Titan's project will require a comprehensive environmental review spearheaded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state issued a draft air pollution permit in September after state officials determined SEPA doesn't apply. Opponents argued that since Titan is set to receive $4.5 million worth of economic incentives from the county and state, issuing the air permit before the Army Corps is done violates SEPA.

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Department officials reasoned that none of the economic incentive grants would be given to Titan until the plant was operational, so SEPA doesn't apply.

“As there has been no disbursement of public monies by New Hanover County or the Department of Commerce, there can be no expenditures of public monies by them,” wrote W. Kevin McLaughlin Jr., chief operating officer and general counsel for the department.

That's all they've got? We haven't given them the money yet ... we've only given them a permit so we'll be able to give them the money? Talk about a lame, bullshit explanation for borderline criminal misconduct.

I'm sure Mr. McLaughlin is a fine public servant, but he has the unenviable task of putting lipstick on this butt-ugly pig of a screw-up. The people of North Carolina would be better served if he simply said, "We got it wrong. We hereby rescind our permit and fully support a careful permitting process as this application moves forward."