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APPROVED <br /> hazards that these facilities did to the environment and to the neighbors and their community. I <br /> walk daily on the trails that have been created along the property lines. My home is down slope <br /> from the proposed site and the biofield. Everything drains through a system of drainage ditches <br /> to our property and to that of my neighbors. During a hard rain, the drainage eventually ends up <br /> 10 feet from our house which then flows into Collins Creek which flows into the Haw River. <br /> Anything that drains from the new waste proposed facility, will naturally pollute our well water. <br /> As I mentioned before, I am a former teacher and I would like to invite anyone to let me take you <br /> on a field trip. As Randee Haven-O'Donnell knows, she was my former teaching partner, that we <br /> love field trips. Hand on science is what we're going to do. This is the way you learn. You don't <br /> learn by looking at a photo and not seeing it in the meeting. You have to be there to see exactly <br /> what we're talking about. And I've actually got photos if anyone wants to see them, but you <br /> know, you have to have a good hard hurricane rain and we're serious, all you have to do is give <br /> us a call. And I find it strange that the 35 years my home and sewage system have been <br /> constantly monitored by Orange County because they want to make sure that we are doing <br /> what we're supposed to do because we're in the Haw River drainage basin. But suddenly <br /> Orange County can build a hazardous waste facility that drains over my property and that of my <br /> neighbors in the same Haw River drainage system. We were told that we could not build <br /> anything near the biohazard because of it being in the 100-year floodplain and it appears that no <br /> one seems to care. There's been a lot of talk about the protected Cane River sites, but what <br /> about the Haw River? Do we not care about the people who get their water from the Haw River? <br /> I have photos as I've said. I find it reprehensible that Orange County would even consider <br /> carving out a waste facility immediately surrounded by 5 residential homes among the other 70 <br /> that we're talking about that are nearby. If we were to get a new waste facility, the noises would <br /> make it impossible to enjoy any outside activities. We would no longer be able to sit outside and <br /> enjoy the peace of country living. Anyway, the buffer was ridiculous. These homes are an <br /> investment and our retirement, and what would be done to our home values is unbelievable. <br /> Thank you. <br /> Fowler says next is Mary Bratsch-Hines. <br /> Bratsch-Hines says thank you. I also live within 1000 feet of the proposed site. We understand <br /> that SWAG is not making the decision about the proposed site. We will be at the BOCC meeting <br /> tomorrow and every other meeting that you have here on until there is a vote on it. My <br /> neighbors are passing out a letter that we sent to OWASA. It's on their website along with the <br /> signatures that we received as part of that letter, and it basically asks OWASA to reconsider the <br /> sale of the property. I'm sorry, I didn't realize so many people were going to be online, but we <br /> can send out a link for that. Basically, asking OWASA not to sell the property to Orange County <br /> Solid Waste for a number of reasons. You've already heard some concerns. Citizens talked <br /> about some of those reasons, really centered around the fact that our communities in that area <br /> are already under a waste burden. We already have a water waste burden with the biosolids <br /> applications. We really do not need another waste burden that has a significant amount of <br /> safety concerns. The number of homes within 2000 feet of the proposed site is up to 2.5 —4 <br /> times greater residential density than exists within 1000 feet of any of the other waste and <br /> recycling centers in Orange County. Other Orange County waste and recycling centers are <br /> generally sited along commercial or industrial use properties. For example, the Orange Grove <br /> facility, which is similar in size to this proposal, shares property lines with a towing company, a <br /> tire shop, and a gas station. This is far more appropriate than next to multiple neighborhoods in <br /> residential areas. There are numerous health and safety concerns. Some of our neighbors will <br /> be talking about these as the weeks come on. Orange Grove Rd and Hwy 54 are already both <br /> busy roads as the BOCC are going to be discussing and studying and looking at that. I bike <br /> down Orange Grove Road and on weekend afternoons, dozens of cars pass me in that area <br /> where the proposed site is 55 miles an hour. The entrance to the proposed site is on a blind <br /> curve. It's almost directly across from the bus stop where my children's schoolmates get picked <br />