Share:

Responding to JCDA President Eric Lewis on "More Study"

JCDA failed in their basic responsibility to do any economic or environmental review. Now that the bulldozers are running, they want half-hearted, half-measures.
August 29, 2018

Mr. Eric Lewis
President, Board of Directors
Jefferson County Development Authority
1948 Wiltshire Rd #4
Kearneysville, WV 25430
cc: JCDA Board of Directors

Dear Mr. Lewis:

Thank you for discussing the need for an independent review of the environmental impact of the proposed Rockwool facility at the August 28, 2018 JCDA meeting.

Obviously everyone is very disappointed that the JCDA failed to conduct any kind of due diligence before presenting this project to the community.  There needs to be a full review of Rockwool’s air pollution, traffic, noise, viewshed, and light pollution impacts as well as a study of the effects on our growth and economy, especially the critical agriculture, real estate, tourism, and equine industries.

We share the view expressed by members of the Jefferson County Board of Education in this regard: Rockwool should immediately pause site development work to demonstrate that any review is credible and is being conducted in good faith.

Once Rockwool agrees to pause site development, we will consider participating in an independent, expert review of all of Rockwool’s impacts on our community.

Thank you, 

Leigh Smith
Jefferson County Vision