RALEIGH, N.C. – Mike Morgan, a Democratic candidate for Governor, today announced his disapproval of the expansion of the RDU Quarry located in Wake County near the Umstead State Park.
A corporate mining company has been embroiled in a lengthy legal battle to obtain state permits that would allow the expansion of an open pit crushed rock quarry to be expanded next to the William B. Umstead State Park and near the East Coast Greenway.
“This situation is about saving our public lands. It’s about making sure that public land remains protected and free from commercial noise pollution that intrudes on the sights and sounds of our nature preserves,” said Mr. Morgan.
“I am concerned because if this quarry is allowed to proceed, it will be the first private rock quarry on public land in the state,” added Mr. Morgan. “The law clearly states that no permit shall be issued which will have significant adverse impact on a state park. And this one does,” said Mr. Morgan.
Morgan’s chief rival in the Democratic Primary for Governor, Attorney General Josh Stein, signed off on a $500,000 settlement payment by the NC Department of Environmental Quality to the mining company to further the potential expansion of the rock quarry. “I seriously question the Attorney General’s encouragement and approval of this action,” said Mr. Morgan.
“I cannot conceive a worse location for such a commercial enterprise. We should be working to protect our quality of life, and that means protecting our public lands and public parks,” commented Mr. Morgan.
“Upon becoming Governor, I will instruct my staff and the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality to reassess the expansion of the RDU Quarry,” stated Mr. Morgan.
“With a growing Wake County and Triangle Metro Region, we must do all we can to protect our public lands. The Umstead State Park serves more than 1.8 million people on an annual basis. Let’s work to improve our parks and protect our public lands,” concluded Mr. Morgan.