Progress at the Yadkin Project: Part 2

A couple weeks ago, I started a blog series to talk about the progress we've made over the last few months. In the meantime, we've had several good news stories that I posted, but I'd like to get back to sharing our progress. Earlier, I talked about sharing our financials and our operating expenses. Today, I'd like to cover how we've addressed water quality concerns.  There are two parts to this issue:

DO Report: We have been monitoring dissolved oxygen (DO) levels at the Yadkin Project for several years and are encouraged by the results. We shared the 2010 Dissolved Oxygen Report with the NC Division of Water Quality (DWQ) on January 14. The results show that instantaneous DO levels for water leaving the Yadkin Project met or exceeded the instantaneous DO standard 99.9% of the time in 2010. The DO daily average level met or exceeded the daily DO standard 97.4% of the time. 

APGI remains committed to meeting North Carolina’s water quality standards and continues to believe that the 401 certification that DWQ issued in 2009 assures those standards will be met. 

401 Water Quality Certificate: We appealed DWQ’s decision to revoke our 401 Water Quality Certificate on January 28. Our appeal will show that DWQ was well informed about our solution for increasing dissolved oxygen levels and that APGI did not withhold important information. 

The resolution of these issues is a necessary first step to implementing the many positive enhancements in the Relicensing Settlement Agreement.

My next blog in this series will cover improving life in Badin.

Alcoa wins national award for successful brownfield redevelopment

On April 5, Alcoa received the Phoenix Award Grand Prize for excellence in brownfield redevelopment for reclaiming a former aluminum smelter in Oregon and returning it to productive use.  (Read the press release.)

This was an amazing project. We partnered with the Port of Portland and FedEx and took a 700-acre industrial property and created an industrial park that now has 350 jobs and potential for more.

It's what we want for Badin too.

In February, we started the redevelopment of the Badin site, and will invest more than $10 million this year preparing the facility - including demolition, enhancing the appearance and improving the facilities - for new tenants to bring new jobs to the community.

The Troutdale project shows that with effort and dedication you can take a former plant site and give it new life. You can create new jobs and improve the quality of life of residents in the area - when everyone pulls together to make it happen. That was the key to our success in Troutdale, and we are working hard to replicate it here in North Carolina.