I’M SO CONFUSED
Yesterday Gene Smith, Fayetteville Observer senior editorial writer, was pretty clear that he was not opposed to building an ethanol plant off Ramsey St. Yet today’s lead editorial goes in exactly the opposite direction:
This would be E85’s and North Carolina’s first ethanol plant. The company has no experience operating the giant distilleries it plans to build. The state has no experience regulating them. Both are confident they’re up to the job, and that all the necessary regulations are in place.
Maybe they’re right. But maybe they aren’t. Does Cumberland County want to gamble on that for 40 new jobs and a small jolt in the tax base (initially, about $1 million a year, but declining as plant facilities are depreciated)?
We think not. The county and E85 should find a more suitable site or the deal should stop, right now.