[0:06] [Gavel]

[0:10] >>chair: good evening and

[0:13] welcome to the AUGUST 8th, 2023

[0:14] work session of the gaston

[0:14] county board of county

[0:15] commissioners.

[0:16] My name is chad brown, I serve

[0:17] as CHAIRMAN Of the board, as

[0:18] well as the commissioner from

[0:19] the riverbend township.

[0:21] I would like to welcome our

[0:23] viewers, and thank spectrum and

[0:24] cable and at&t for making this

[0:27] possible for our citizens.

[0:28] For our television audience, I

[0:30] would like to present your

[0:31] gaston county commission

[0:34] beginning on my far right.

[0:35] >> allen fraley, cherryville

[0:35] township.

[0:36] >> I'm ronnie worley, south

[0:37] point township.

[0:41] >> good evening, I'm kathi

[0:42] cloninger representing the

[0:43] dallas township.

[0:44] >> bob hovis, crowders mountain

[0:44] township.

[0:46] >> good evening, tom keigher,

[0:46] gastonia township.

[0:48] >>

[0:48] >>.

[0:49] >>chair: thank you all.

[0:51] Before I begin, I would like to

[0:53] take a moment -- can you hear

[0:53] me?

[0:56] -- recognize a couple of

[0:57] people.

[0:58] First, our interim

[0:59] superintendent for gaston county

[1:01] schools, DR. Stephen laws, if

[1:05] you'll please come up and --

[1:09] you, too, come to the podium,

[1:11] you can speed speak for a

[1:13] second, he continues to say the

[1:15] word interim, but we are vastly

[1:17] trying to change that for him.

[1:18] But I wanted to say DR. Laws,

[1:19] thank you for your commitment to

[1:21] gaston county schools, you've

[1:22] been here for a number of years

[1:25] but one of the things that comes

[1:28] is I think every parent wants

[1:30] our kids safe in school and

[1:32] getting a quality education,

[1:34] you've agreed to do this until

[1:36] we can get someone, but I wanted

[1:38] to say personally thank you from

[1:39] this board, our board probably

[1:40] communicating thank you for

[1:41] coming to the dinner tonight.

[1:43] But one of the things that I

[1:46] want to challenge you with is

[1:46] don't quit.

[1:48] Whatever happens, you just keep

[1:50] going until they tell you you're

[1:52] done, but I wanted to say thank

[1:53] you for your commitment.

[1:54] I got to listen to you today and

[1:57] talk to you, if you guys don't

[1:59] think that things are changing

[2:01] vastly in the way we do things

[2:02] in the school system, DR. Laws

[2:03] has come in running and thank

[2:07] you, if you would like to a few

[2:07] words?

[2:08] >> I want to thank the board of

[2:09] commissioners and you, MR.

[2:11] CHAIRMAN, for inviting me

[2:14] tonight and to all of you

[2:16] citizens, we are excited about

[2:17] the school year, it starts next

[2:18] wednesday, coming in a hurry, we

[2:20] think we're ready and you're

[2:22] right, we have two primary

[2:23] responsibilities to keep our

[2:25] students safe, and our employees

[2:26] safe, and the other is to do

[2:28] what we say we will do.

[2:30] And we're going to have a great

[2:31] school year.

[2:33] And I am an interim.

[2:38] And the board is progressing on

[2:40] finding our new permanent

[2:41] superintendent and that should

[2:43] be going forward in the next

[2:46] couple of weeks, they'll get the

[2:48] results of the applicants and

[2:50] that's exciting for all of us,

[2:52] so I'm a gaston county native.

[2:53] I love gaston county.

[2:54] And we live here, and we're

[2:57] going to live here the rest of

[3:01] our lives so it's a great place

[3:01] to be.

[3:02] Thank you for having me.

[3:04] >>chair: thank you, sir.

[3:06] [Applause]

[3:09] I got a call, starting saying

[3:10] the reminder from the school,

[3:10] so.

[3:13] Thank you, again, and thank you

[3:14] for coming.

[3:16] The next -- I would like to

[3:18] introduce someone, he not here,

[3:20] but met a gentleman this

[3:22] morning, his name was mark hall

[3:24] and he was a at the dentist this

[3:26] morning and worried and you can

[3:28] see and so I told him I would

[3:30] shout him out on tv tonight if

[3:34] he would not be scared to go

[3:34] back and see the dentist, there

[3:40] it is, mark hall from gastonia.

[3:42] First item on the agenda is

[3:43] proclamations, commendations and

[3:44] awards and certificates.

[3:45] And I would like to read a

[3:49] little somebody, before I do, --

[3:50] --

[3:52] tom would like to play a little

[3:54] music for you.

[3:58] >> I don't know how that

[3:58] happened.

[4:03] >>chair: this is to commend

[4:06] gems rsh -- richard back there?

[4:08] Just give him -- I'll get --

[4:10] >> I'm just clicking on this

[4:25] work session.

[4:25] >>chair: but one of the things

[4:25] that we like to do here is have

[4:25] a -- we like to commend people

[4:26] for their work and the paramedic

[4:26] paramedics captain, leannda

[4:26] lowrance, christina cruse and

[4:27] andrew adams for their heroic

[4:29] actions on MAY 23rd, 2023, rend

[4:32] erd in the line of duty, which

[4:34] saved aid court service employee

[4:36] at the gastonia county

[4:37] courthouse, darlene lowrance.

[4:38] I'll read this, vincent, come up

[4:42] there a little closer, vincent.

[4:46] There you go.

[4:46] The gaston county board of

[4:48] commissioners hereby presents a

[4:49] certificate of commendation on

[4:53] this day, AUGUST 8th, 2023, to

[4:55] captain leannda lowrance,

[4:57] paramedic, christina cruse,

[5:00] paramedic, and andrew adams,

[5:02] paramedic, and the gaston county

[5:04] emergency medical services,

[5:06] gems, for your heroic actions on

[5:07] MAY 23rd, 2023, rendering in the

[5:10] line of duty, which saved the

[5:13] life of MS. Darlene lowrance, a

[5:15] court service employee in the

[5:16] gaston county who suffered a

[5:17] near fatal heart attack at work.

[5:19] The board further recognizes for

[5:22] your ready sxns commitment to

[5:23] serve on the frontline of

[5:24] healthcare emergencies, your

[5:27] service and dedication proudly

[5:28] reflects the highest ideals of

[5:31] the members of your team, and

[5:33] gaston county.

[5:37] And the paramedic os tv -- of

[5:40] the united states, the -- I've

[5:42] asked mark and his staff to come

[5:46] up and also I think corporal

[5:47] lowrance is going to come up and

[5:49] speak a little bit as well.

[5:50] On that.

[5:52] So cliff, if you want to come up

[5:52] and speak?

[5:54] Mark, if you have and jamie and

[5:55] the kids will come a little bit

[5:58] closer, that way everybody can

[5:59] see you guys and he has a

[6:03] special presentation for you.

[6:05] >> first, I want to give GOD all

[6:07] of the honor and glory for

[6:08] allowing us to be here tonight

[6:09] and do this.

[6:12] I want to start by thanking the

[6:15] county commissioner, chairman

[6:17] brown and DR. Eagle to honor

[6:20] these paramedics tonight, a

[6:22] special thanks to donna buff for

[6:23] putting this on tonight's

[6:25] agenda, I appreciate it from my

[6:26] heart.

[6:32] I would like to thank chief --

[6:34] for their outstanding efforts in

[6:37] saving lives, on MAY 23rd, 2023,

[6:40] while working in her office here

[6:42] in the courthouse, my wife went

[6:45] into cardiac arrest, due to the

[6:46] heroic efforts from everyone

[6:47] involved, my wife has a second

[6:48] chance at life.

[6:50] The three paramedics that were

[6:54] instrumental in saving her life,

[6:57] christina cruse, abdrew adams

[6:58] and captain leannda lowrance,

[7:00] who happens to be my

[7:01] sister-in-law.

[7:04] If I could, real brief, before

[7:07] we present the awards, there's a

[7:08] couple of things on my heart

[7:11] that stood out on this day that

[7:12] I would like to share.

[7:18] On MAY 23rd, when this occurred,

[7:19] gems was on the scene just in a

[7:22] matter of minutes.

[7:23] It was just GOD aligned so many

[7:26] things up that day, just

[7:26] unbelievable.

[7:29] And when I say they arrived, it

[7:34] was cruse and adams on scene

[7:35] first, to my recollection, they

[7:37] knew exactly what to do and they

[7:40] went to work doing it.

[7:43] Shortly after leannda came in,

[7:45] and she looked at me and saw me,

[7:47] and she went immediately to

[7:49] doing what she knows to do.

[7:50] Save lives.

[7:51] And after a couple of minutes

[7:55] in, she looked at me, and she

[7:56] stopped and she just stopped for

[7:57] a second and she said, oh, my

[7:59] GOD, I just realized who this

[8:00] is.

[8:03] And with tears running down her

[8:06] face, she continued to work.

[8:08] to save her life.

[8:12] Once she was able to be

[8:14] transported, in the ambulance, I

[8:18] rode up front with jamie

[8:19] mcconnell, who was so gracious

[8:21] and continued to say all the

[8:22] way, we're going to take care of

[8:25] her, she's going to be fine.

[8:29] Once we arrived in the er, all

[8:31] of the staff, gems staff

[8:33] continued to stay in the er and

[8:35] help and assist and make sure

[8:36] that I was taken care of.

[8:37] My son was there.

[8:40] To make sure he was taken care

[8:41] of.

[8:45] Moving forward, my wife was in a

[8:46] medically induced coma for five

[8:46] days.

[8:50] On the sixth day, she came out.

[8:52] They took her off the ventilator

[8:53] and she was getting stronger,

[8:55] the night she came out, the next

[8:58] day, we got a call in the room

[8:59] and cruse and adams were

[9:00] downstairs and asked could they

[9:01] come up and see her.

[9:04] And I said, by all means, they

[9:05] came up.

[9:07] And so they all greeted each

[9:08] other, and we stood around her

[9:10] bed, my son was present, and

[9:12] when they got ready to leave,

[9:14] adams said, do you mind if we

[9:14] pray?

[9:17] And I said absolutely.

[9:19] So we all held hands around her

[9:21] bed and he led us in one of the

[9:23] most beautiful prayers I've ever

[9:24] heard.

[9:26] To me, those things I mentioned

[9:28] are going above and beyond of

[9:31] just the regular call of duty.

[9:33] It touched me and my time while

[9:34] I was in the hospital I just

[9:36] said I had to do more than just

[9:38] say thank you.

[9:41] How do you say thank you to

[9:41] these folks?

[9:44] That saved her life?

[9:46] who gave us this opportunity to

[9:46] be here tonight?

[9:49] Just a few weeks ago, we

[9:51] celebrated our 28th wedding

[9:51] anniversary.

[9:53] And we wouldn't have celebrated

[9:56] it if it weren't for these three

[9:56] folks.

[9:59] I just want to present them

[10:01] award tonight, just to let them

[10:04] know from the bottom of both of

[10:08] our hearts what they mean to us.

[10:10] I'll read one of the plaques.

[10:12] And I'll let my wife present

[10:12] them.

[10:15] It says life saving award

[10:17] presented to paramedic christina

[10:21] cruse, in recognition of your

[10:23] courageous and life saving a in

[10:25] a medical emergency, on MAY

[10:28] 23rd, 2023, your outstanding

[10:29] efforts gave someone another

[10:31] chance at life.

[10:34] Gaston county ems MAY 23rd,

[10:39] 2023.

[11:02] [Applause]

[11:05] Thank you, again for allowing us

[11:07] to be here.

[11:09] >>chair: cliff, I wanted to say

[11:10] something that you said, not

[11:13] just your family, we're all

[11:13] family.

[11:15] You guys go above and beyond

[11:16] every day.

[11:17] We're especially grateful for

[11:19] that day, but we're also

[11:20] especially grateful for what you

[11:21] do for our community and what

[11:23] you do for our county, mark, you

[11:24] guys have put together one of

[11:25] the best programs around.

[11:28] And this is an example we get to

[11:31] see it on live tv today, but one

[11:32] thing it is, is this love for

[11:34] what you do, that we're very

[11:35] appreciative of what you do, and

[11:37] cliff, appreciate what you do

[11:38] and your wife as well for --

[11:40] that's a service, giving family

[11:43] and we're very proud of you

[11:44] guys, so thank you again.

[11:46] >> my pleasure.

[11:46] Thank you.

[11:52] [Applause]

[11:54] >>chair: the next recognition

[11:56] is for MR. Donny hicks, economic

[11:58] development director.

[12:01] Upon his receiving of the north

[12:03] carolina economic development

[12:06] association award.

[12:09] I'll let MR. Bob hovis,

[12:14] vice-chair present MR. Hicks.

[12:18] >> it's a distinct honor for me

[12:22] to recognize another of our

[12:25] exemplary gaston county staff.

[12:29] Donny hicks finished college in

[12:31] 1983.

[12:33] Immediately upon graduation, he

[12:35] came to work for gaston county.

[12:39] Within a year, he was named

[12:42] director for the economic

[12:44] development commission.

[12:47] And I can't sit here and begin

[12:51] to tell you the accomplishments,

[12:54] the impact, the positive

[12:56] entities that he has brought to

[12:57] gaston county because we can't

[12:59] stay here all night.

[13:02] And I would only begin to start

[13:03] by midnight.

[13:05] We have been the beneficiary of

[13:08] a very dedicated employee who

[13:13] has worked tirelessly in strange

[13:15] circumstances from time to time,

[13:18] because when you get these

[13:20] multinational -- multicultural

[13:23] businesses who are looking to

[13:24] relocate into the united states,

[13:27] let alone in the north carolina,

[13:29] it offers unique opportunities.

[13:31] And I think that is an

[13:32] understatement at best.

[13:35] But donny has navigated those

[13:35] waters, like he's sailed this

[13:38] ship 1,000 times.

[13:40] And I happen to be present at

[13:42] the north carolina association

[13:44] of the economic developers, the

[13:46] group that does that statewide,

[13:48] they had an annual meeting and i

[13:51] had happened to be in wilmington

[13:52] when he was presented the

[13:54] PRESIDENT's award.

[13:55] He's twice won the developer of

[13:56] the year award.

[13:57] For the state.

[14:00] But this year, he was the

[14:03] PRESIDENT's award recipient.

[14:05] With that, that is a recognition

[14:07] of his peers, others that do the

[14:09] same thing across the state,

[14:11] that donny does, people that

[14:13] donny does battle with, from

[14:15] time to time, and I use that

[14:16] word battle in parentheses,

[14:18] because I don't think there's

[14:19] any bloodshed, although, some

[14:21] would probably like to shed

[14:23] donny's blood, because he's beat

[14:25] them out on so many different

[14:25] things.

[14:28] But this man is so incredibly

[14:29] humble, I was glad when I found

[14:32] out about it, actually the night

[14:33] before, I made the decision that

[14:34] I was -- somebody from our staff

[14:36] and our board was going to be

[14:39] present with MR. Hicks when he

[14:41] received this very pristine yous

[14:43] award, so I told my wife, dear,

[14:45] I can't wash dishes tomorrow,

[14:46] I've got to go to wilmington and

[14:49] she looked at me with this

[14:51] puzzled face and said, okay,

[14:53] because she knew it was

[14:53] something.

[14:54] And never looked back, but I was

[14:56] very honored to be there and be

[14:57] a part of that.

[14:58] But I wanted gaston county to

[15:00] know and the rest of this board

[15:01] to express their appreciation

[15:03] for all of the hard work that

[15:04] donny hicks has done, all of the

[15:06] things that he's brought to us

[15:08] to diversify our tax base, and

[15:09] put us back to where in the last

[15:12] two years, we're just about

[15:15] where we were before the textile

[15:18] recession, and all of the text

[15:19] tile business left gaston

[15:21] county, the big sucking sound

[15:24] that ross pe ro used to talk

[15:24] about it.

[15:25] We took it on the chin and had

[15:28] it on the chin, and we've

[15:28] recovered and we're doing so

[15:29] much better, but this man right

[15:32] here as created 90% of that, we

[15:34] have given a little money and

[15:35] incentives along with the state

[15:37] to help some of this happen but

[15:39] most of it has been on his

[15:40] shoulders and his staff's

[15:41] shoulders and we appreciate all

[15:45] that he's done and I wanted to

[15:47] recognize him before the

[15:50] television awed you knows

[15:51] -- audience and

[15:53] you're welcome to toot your hon,

[15:55] you won't, but you're welcome

[15:55] to.

[15:56] >> 930 members and they gave it

[15:58] to me, that's a pretty sad

[16:00] statement in a way.

[16:01] But what commissioner hovis

[16:03] didn't tell you was the people

[16:04] that got different awards before

[16:06] me made some very pointed and

[16:08] negative comments about county

[16:10] commissioners, which I didn't

[16:10] partake in.

[16:12] But it really showed me how

[16:13] lucky I was to walk into a

[16:15] system like we have here, we're

[16:16] very well supported.

[16:18] Supported financially, and we

[16:20] have had a major hill to climb

[16:22] to get where we're at today and

[16:23] especially I think that's

[16:26] recognized in the aaa bond

[16:28] rating, we've done things

[16:29] differently, there's a lot that

[16:31] -- I got the award for an

[16:32] individual but the collection of

[16:33] work and the body of work that

[16:34] the county has done for a long

[16:34] time.

[16:36] And if you go back and look at

[16:37] where we started, when I came

[16:39] here, there was no zone, we had

[16:40] relatively limited water and

[16:42] sewer capacity, almost no

[16:42] extensions.

[16:44] And we have done a lot of work.

[16:45] And I think that's reflected in

[16:48] that award, but it's also a

[16:49] reflection of the consistency in

[16:51] our approach that we've had.

[16:52] Consistent investment in it.

[16:53] Having good county commissioners

[16:54] that believed in what we're

[16:55] going to do.

[16:56] And thought that we could make

[16:58] this comeback and get to where

[16:59] we wanted to be.

[17:00] And that's a great gift to me

[17:02] and to everyone in this county.

[17:04] A lot of communities have fits

[17:06] and starts, and they take

[17:07] directions and they lose

[17:10] momentum, we've never lost that

[17:11] momentum, we've had it

[17:12] consistently t commissioners

[17:14] have given us a lot of support.

[17:15] Four county managers have given

[17:18] us a lot of support and

[17:19] authority, and autonomy to do

[17:21] what we needed to do.

[17:23] I've had the luxury of waking up

[17:24] every morning for 39 years and

[17:25] not ever really wanting to be

[17:27] anywhere else but here, and

[17:29] that's a true gift, so thank

[17:30] you.

[17:30] [Applause]

[17:33] >>chair: donny?

[17:34] Donny?

[17:36] You can take your recognition.

[17:38] >> and I will add one note, MR.

[17:40] CHAIRMAN, if I can.

[17:43] Gaston county was the only

[17:45] county represented at this

[17:48] auspicious occasion by a county

[17:48] commissioner.

[17:49] That tells you something.

[17:51] That tells you something.

[17:52] And that's -- we're here to

[17:55] support you donny, and we mean

[17:55] that.

[17:55] thank you.

[17:58] >>chair: donny, I wanted to say

[18:00] something before it got too

[18:04] mushy for you, don't think this

[18:05] is easy for you.

[18:06] For the people who don't know

[18:10] what donny does, he goes out

[18:12] with companies, they're wanting

[18:15] to come and expand their

[18:18] companies, overseas or inside of

[18:20] the inside the united states

[18:23] domestically to come into gaston

[18:26] county, donny oversees that to

[18:29] have the I's dotted and the t's

[18:31] crossed, these are given by code

[18:33] names so the governor can have

[18:37] the splash of saying what the

[18:39] company is.

[18:41] And I think that's wrong.

[18:42] I think that donny should be

[18:44] able to say those things because

[18:46] I'm going the tell a story on

[18:48] donny, last year, a couple of

[18:51] year as ago, you guys ride down

[18:52] dallas cherryville highway,

[18:55] you'll see a company called gnt.

[18:57] Gnt was met with some issues

[18:59] here, not by us, by the state.

[19:03] And we had to do a about face

[19:04] right there that night, we

[19:06] changed out by next morning, we

[19:07] had them over there, they're in

[19:08] gaston county, had their

[19:09] headquarters here.

[19:10] And they're expanding.

[19:12] And that's because of donny and

[19:12] his team.

[19:14] And when I mean they're making

[19:16] an about face, you change asking

[19:21] and going to work as a police

[19:23] officer and the milkman

[19:23] tomorrow.

[19:24] A total change.

[19:26] That's the examples that we see.

[19:27] If you think about

[19:28] infrastructure, you think about

[19:31] all of the things that go

[19:36] alongwater, sewer and land and

[19:38] find large parcels.

[19:39] Donny, you're well deserved of

[19:41] that award and I'm just very

[19:42] thankful that you work for us.

[19:44] But you're not done.

[19:47] So I expect something in two

[19:48] weeks, you get --

[19:48] [Laughter]

[19:49] I'm going to -- .

[19:52] >> more time than I need.

[19:53] [Laughter]

[19:53] >>chair: I like it.

[19:55] Thank you, donny.

[19:56] >> thank you.

[20:01] [Applause]

[20:03] >>chair: and I guarantee, we

[20:05] will have an award -- something

[20:07] come out in the next two week,

[20:09] y'all listen up.

[20:09] Certificate of appreciation is a

[20:10] great pleasure for the gaston

[20:14] county commissioners to honor

[20:15] citizens who have given of their

[20:17] time, talent and skills and

[20:19] energy and service to an a point

[20:21] tee of one of the many boards

[20:22] and commissions, this type of

[20:23] service is the foundation of

[20:24] citizen involvement in our

[20:25] county government and helping

[20:27] shape the future of gaston

[20:27] county's community.

[20:29] We gratefully acknowledge the

[20:31] work of the following

[20:33] individuals and certificates of

[20:34] appreciation have been garded on

[20:35] to them.

[20:38] DR. Edward smith, adult care

[20:39] community advisory committee.

[20:43] Vincent ginski, gary washington,

[20:44] JR., and transportation advisory

[20:50] board.

[20:51] This will be a quick little

[20:53] update for everybody, anybody

[20:56] who is not speaking on anything

[20:58] to do with the piedmont lithium

[20:59] issue tonight, you will have the

[21:00] opportunity now, is there

[21:02] anybody on that list?

[21:02] Okay.

[21:05] So we'll go ahead and skip that

[21:08] portion for citizens comments on

[21:09] anything other than that.

[21:13] Moving on to the presentation.

[21:14] You will have a chance to speak,

[21:17] just that was on totally

[21:19] something different, we're going

[21:21] to have that.

[21:22] Also, I want to make sure that

[21:24] we are the quorum tonight, mrez

[21:27] do not clap, do not gesture, do

[21:28] not do anything, let each side

[21:29] or whoever wants to speak, let

[21:30] them have their turn, so

[21:31] everybody can hear.

[21:33] There's going to be a lot of

[21:34] questions tonight, especially

[21:34] from our board.

[21:38] And so I ask you to please bear

[21:39] with me, and the people up here,

[21:41] so we can hear tonight and that

[21:42] way we can get all of this

[21:43] together.

[21:45] But I will now go to the next

[21:48] agenda item, piedmont lithium

[21:50] presentation, MS. Erin sanders,

[21:51] senior vice PRESIDENT, corporate

[21:53] communications and investor

[21:55] relations along with malissa

[21:55] gordon, vice PRESIDENT Of

[21:57] government affairs.

[21:58] Ladies?

[21:59] >> thank you.

[22:02] Good evening, CHAIRMAN Brown,

[22:05] fellow commissioners, county

[22:07] manager, DR. Eagle, county

[22:09] attorney MR. Stetzer and other

[22:10] staff members.

[22:12] I'm erin sanders, CHAIRMAN Brown

[22:16] just mentioned but I will make a

[22:17] correction, monique parker will

[22:20] be presenting with me and she'll

[22:21] introduce herself shortly.

[22:23] We appreciate the opportunity to

[22:25] speak with you tonight.

[22:27] It's been almost two years since

[22:29] we've had the chance to appear

[22:29] before you.

[22:32] But a lot has happeneded in two

[22:32] years.

[22:34] I think for all of us.

[22:36] I believe that piedmont lithium

[22:37] is a different company than the

[22:41] one that appeared before you in

[22:42] 2021.

[22:44] And a different company than

[22:45] maybe many of you have met in

[22:47] the years prior.

[22:51] Today, piedmont lithium is a $1

[22:53] billion market cap company,

[22:55] publicly traded on nasdaq with

[22:57] projects in canada, ghana,

[22:59] tennessee, and here in north

[22:59] carolina.

[23:02] And we are proud to be

[23:03] headquartered here in gaston

[23:05] county.

[23:07] We celebrated a significant

[23:09] milestone last week.

[23:12] As our joint venture in quebec

[23:14] made its first shipment of

[23:16] lithium product marking our

[23:18] shift from lithium developer to

[23:22] a lithium producer and a revenue

[23:23] generating company.

[23:25] Piedmont now has a leadership

[23:27] team that together has extensive

[23:28] experience in the mining

[23:31] industry, the lithium industry,

[23:33] and in manufacturing the

[23:34] environment, and community

[23:37] engagement on projects such as

[23:38] these.

[23:40] But perhaps most importantly, we

[23:44] have done extensive work since

[23:44] 2021.

[23:47] To further develop and refine

[23:49] our project plans for our

[23:51] proposed carolina lithium

[23:52] project.

[23:54] Including a significant testing

[23:56] and studies and meetings with

[23:59] the county staff, about

[24:01] utilities and how we plan to

[24:04] mitigate the impact on neighbors

[24:06] and the environment.

[24:07] We've also met with countless

[24:08] neighbors.

[24:10] Whether over their kitchen

[24:10] tables.

[24:12] In our cherryville office.

[24:15] Or out in the community.

[24:17] talking about concerns and

[24:18] answering their questions.

[24:19] We recognize that there were a

[24:22] lot of questions that we

[24:25] couldn't answer in 2021.

[24:28] And perhaps that we didn't

[24:30] communicate properly.

[24:32] Prior to that.

[24:34] We've been working hard to

[24:35] correct those errors.

[24:37] And to help prove it, we will be

[24:40] a good steward and a responsible

[24:42] steward of this project and

[24:43] within this community.

[24:45] We hope to answer as many

[24:47] questions as possible tonight.

[24:50] To mitigate your concerns, and

[24:51] potentially hopefully to open

[24:52] the door to more dialogue.

[24:53] That's our goal tonight.

[24:56] And we appreciate the

[25:00] opportunity.

[25:01] So let me begin with our

[25:02] proposed project.

[25:04] Carolina lithium is what we call

[25:07] it.

[25:09] It's designed to create nearly

[25:11] double the current U.S.

[25:13] Production of battery grade

[25:15] lithium, all coming from just

[25:17] down the road right now, in

[25:19] bessemer city and kings

[25:20] mountain. But it is desperately

[25:22] needed by the U.S. Electric

[25:24] vehicle supply chain.

[25:25] Combined with our tennessee

[25:28] project, which is now permitted,

[25:29] this would make piedmont lithium

[25:32] one of the key producers of

[25:34] american-made battery grade

[25:34] lithium.

[25:37] We are designing the project on

[25:38] 1548 acres.

[25:42] To be one of the world's most

[25:44] sustainable lithium hydroxide

[25:44] operations.

[25:47] Using modern technology,

[25:49] practices and systems.

[25:51] And we only contract another

[25:53] 2000 acres will help to provide

[25:55] buffer around the project site.

[25:57] We are targeting construction

[26:00] for 2025 and first production in

[26:02] 27, of course, subject to

[26:04] permitting approvals and

[26:05] financing.

[26:07] And as we are currently two

[26:10] years away from potential

[26:10] construction, we are still

[26:12] developing and refining our

[26:12] plan.

[26:14] So we MAY need to update and

[26:16] develop further specifics over

[26:17] the next two years.

[26:19] But we want to answer as many

[26:20] questions as possible with the

[26:25] information that we have today.

[26:28] I think it's helpful to talk

[26:30] about quickly the three primary

[26:31] parts of the operation.

[26:33] As we see on the right hand

[26:36] corner of this map, the first

[26:39] thing we do, it will do is

[26:40] excavate the ore, that's the

[26:42] rock containing the lithium,

[26:43] call ed

[26:46] called hodge mean and move it

[26:49] and an enclosed conveyor some

[26:53] where the rock is crushed and

[26:55] the by-products of quarts, and

[26:58] mikeca are separated out.

[26:59] And then that crushed

[27:02] concentrate will be conveyed to

[27:03] a conversion facility that's

[27:05] number 3 on the map to be

[27:07] processed into lithium

[27:08] hydroxide.

[27:12] Or lithium salt, the battery

[27:15] grade lithium that will sell to

[27:18] auto makers or battery

[27:19] manufacturers.

[27:21] Now, people ask us fairly often,

[27:22] why here?

[27:26] Is this an important resource?

[27:28] It absolutely is.

[27:32] The belt is a geological wonder,

[27:34] there is nothing like this known

[27:37] currently in the U.S.

[27:39] It is the most resource in the

[27:42] U.S. In terms of rise -- size

[27:44] and infrastructure, it runs from

[27:45] virginia to south carolina but

[27:49] its wider portions is linking

[27:50] gaston county and cleveland

[27:50] county.

[27:52] Many of you know the history of

[27:53] the belt.

[27:55] That it once provided nearly all

[27:57] of the world's lithium supply.

[28:00] But then the U.S. Sent business

[28:00] overseas.

[28:02] To other countries.

[28:05] And that is why today, china

[28:07] produces 80% of the battery

[28:11] grade lithium in the world.

[28:14] But as we look to bring these

[28:16] resources and jobs back to the

[28:19] U.S., these resources in the

[28:21] belt are extremely important.

[28:23] This belt is believed to

[28:24] potentially contain more than

[28:28] three times the current known

[28:29] resources in the united states.

[28:32] And our geologists believe it's

[28:36] only been 20% commercially

[28:37] explored.

[28:38] So that's why it's important to

[28:41] us and to the U.S. Supply chain.

[28:43] But we also believe that this

[28:45] project could be an important

[28:47] contributor to the economic

[28:49] health and the prosperity to

[28:49] gaston county.

[28:50] We're planning to invest more

[28:53] than $1.2 billion into building

[28:54] the project.

[28:56] And the construction will create

[28:58] 200 new jobs.

[29:00] We will utilize a host of

[29:03] vendors and suppliers as many

[29:04] local as possible.

[29:06] And we know that in addition to

[29:09] those suppliers and vendor,

[29:11] potentially customers, that

[29:14] there will be a need for hotels,

[29:15] restaurants, commercial space,

[29:17] retail shops, on and on.

[29:20] And once we're up and running,

[29:23] we expect to employ 428

[29:24] employees directly.

[29:27] at a compensation that averages

[29:28] $82,000.

[29:30] And we're aiming to hire as many

[29:32] local community members as

[29:32] possible.

[29:35] And that is why we will partner

[29:36] with gaston college and the

[29:39] school system to set up training

[29:41] programs.

[29:44] Beyond the 428 direct jobs, we

[29:46] believe we'll create 1,000 jobs

[29:49] in this community related to the

[29:52] ripple effect of the project.

[29:54] And according to our fiscal

[29:58] impact study, $45 million in

[29:59] fiscal revenue to gaston county

[30:02] in the first five years.

[30:05] And a total impact of nearly $4

[30:12] billion in the first five years.

[30:14] Now, I think the important thing

[30:16] today, we're going to answer a

[30:18] lot of questions and monique

[30:20] will talk about the details of

[30:21] water, and air and traffic, and

[30:23] all of those things.

[30:25] But I think what's important

[30:27] right now is that over the past

[30:29] two years, of working with the

[30:31] staff, we're determined to make

[30:34] four key commitments.

[30:37] Commitments to neighbor

[30:39] assurances, water line

[30:41] extension, reclamation and

[30:43] community funding.

[30:45] So neighbor assurances.

[30:48] We plan to put a financial

[30:50] instrument in place that will

[30:51] allow a property owner, if

[30:53] they're unable to sell their

[30:56] home or property, because of the

[30:57] project, and a reasonable amount

[30:59] of time, fair market value.

[31:02] We will assist financially.

[31:04] And that's a commitment we're

[31:05] willing to make.

[31:07] We also know there's concerns

[31:08] about wells.

[31:10] And monique will talk about that

[31:13] more specifically, but if a well

[31:14] runs dry on one of our

[31:16] neighbor's properties,

[31:18] properties, due to the project,

[31:20] we will either drill a new well,

[31:23] drill a deeper well, connect the

[31:25] home to municipal water, and in

[31:27] the meantime, we'll supply

[31:27] water.

[31:30] But we will also make a payment

[31:31] to that homeowner.

[31:33] That can help pay for water

[31:35] bills and for their

[31:38] inconvenience.

[31:40] The water line extension.

[31:43] We need municipal water for our

[31:44] project.

[31:46] So we have already agreed to

[31:49] fund the engineering study.

[31:51] We will also fund the

[31:57] construction of the water lines.

[31:59] And that extension will not only

[32:01] help our project but it will be

[32:03] available to neighbors and to

[32:03] businesses.

[32:05] And including those in the

[32:06] future.

[32:08] And we would like to help

[32:09] establish a program that would

[32:11] allow the neighbors to opt in if

[32:14] they would prefer to connect to

[32:15] municipal water and those

[32:17] details will all be determined

[32:20] in the community development

[32:21] agreement.

[32:23] As far as reclamation, we've had

[32:25] a lot of questions about how

[32:27] we're going to reclaim the land

[32:29] that we work on.

[32:33] We know that the state has $1

[32:35] million maximum surety bond,

[32:37] we're willing to put out a much

[32:38] larger surety bond.

[32:40] To help make sure that that the

[32:42] long-term reclamation takes

[32:45] place, both for the mining pits

[32:53] and for the conversion facility.

[32:55] And last but not least, our

[32:57] community shared-value

[32:58] commitment.

[33:00] Piedmont lithium is committed to

[33:02] sharing value with communities

[33:03] that we work in.

[33:07] So we will be putting together a

[33:08] commitment that will be an

[33:10] annual payment to gaston county

[33:13] to help fund and support

[33:14] well-being in this community.

[33:16] All of the details of these

[33:17] commitments will be determined

[33:20] as we move forward with the

[33:21] community's development

[33:27] agreement.

[33:30] Okay.

[33:31] >> so I would like to go into

[33:33] some of the stuff that we've

[33:36] done from the environmental --

[33:36] yes, sir.

[33:38] My name is monique parker, I'm

[33:40] senior vice PRESIDENT Of safety

[33:41] environmental and health for

[33:41] piedmont lithium.

[33:43] One of the things that I wanted

[33:46] to start with is, you know, when

[33:48] I first came out of college, I

[33:48] moved to gaston county.

[33:50] My son was born in gaston

[33:50] county.

[33:52] So coming back to be able to

[33:53] support this project is

[33:54] extremely important to me.

[33:56] I've done safety environmental

[33:57] and health for the last 20

[33:58] years, and I've done things

[34:00] globally for the last 15.

[34:02] And then the last almost 10

[34:04] years worked in the lithium

[34:04] market.

[34:06] So again, when I joined, this

[34:08] was near and dear to my heart to

[34:10] one to come back to where I

[34:11] started my career and also, to

[34:12] be able to help build a project

[34:14] that's going to be sustainable

[34:16] for the economy and globally for

[34:17] the world.

[34:19] One of the things that I feel is

[34:20] important and we want to share

[34:21] tonight is all of the work that

[34:22] we've done as erin mentioned

[34:24] over the last two years to help

[34:26] us understand better the

[34:27] environmental impact and studies

[34:29] and other things, so this is a

[34:31] very extensive list of studies

[34:33] that we've completed, since

[34:33] 2019.

[34:36] And numerous tests on our

[34:37] products on our impact, having

[34:39] agency communications and

[34:40] providing that information

[34:41] publicly.

[34:43] We have a ton of binders over

[34:45] here about five thick binders

[34:48] with all of these studies and

[34:49] we'll also make these same

[34:52] available at the cherryville

[34:54] office, on main street, at the

[34:55] gastonia public library and

[34:56] also, we'll have a version

[34:59] online so that everyone can see

[35:00] any and any study that we've

[35:02] completed and the details of

[35:04] those studies.

[35:06] Now, we've been provided with

[35:07] question that we know have come

[35:08] from various locations and so

[35:10] I'm going to go through and try

[35:11] to answer each one of those

[35:12] questions and obviously, if

[35:14] there are more that come, we're

[35:15] happy to answer those following.

[35:17] The first question we have is,

[35:18] how will piedmont use municipal

[35:21] water at carolina lithium?

[35:22] As erin mentioned, we have to

[35:25] have water, we have to have

[35:28] municipal water for the lithium

[35:29] hydroxide conversion plant,

[35:29] because of the purity of the

[35:31] water is extremely important.

[35:33] So this picture here, the

[35:34] circular process to show how

[35:35] that water will be integrated

[35:37] into our site, and how we will

[35:39] discharge that water.

[35:40] And as you can see, at the

[35:42] beginning on the left-hand side,

[35:44] this water will be supplied from

[35:46] cherryville with a backup from

[35:49] two rivers intooshgs, into a

[35:53] circular process, a people and

[35:54] process and fire prospective.

[35:55] Fire, short and sweet to the

[35:56] point, we bring that water in

[35:59] and we fill our fire tank, that

[36:00] will be there for emergency

[36:01] response and other activities

[36:03] that I'll go into later.

[36:05] When we look at people,

[36:06] obviously, we have to have

[36:08] restroom, showers, drinking

[36:11] water t list goes on in regards

[36:13] to municipal water and then our

[36:14] manufacturing process.

[36:19] As I noted our lithium hydroxide

[36:20] conversion plant needs water,

[36:22] once we use the water in that

[36:23] process, we will have an on site

[36:24] waste water treatment facility

[36:25] that will treat that water, and

[36:29] then, we will send it to a waste

[36:32] water pump station will it be

[36:33] combined with the sewer water,

[36:34] that will then be discharged

[36:35] back to two rivers.

[36:38] So one of the key points is, any

[36:40] processed water from this

[36:41] process, will go back into a

[36:42] waste water treatment system

[36:43] through our sewer lines.

[36:45] I want to make a point there,

[36:47] there's no discharge to streams,

[36:48] and water ways, from our

[36:50] processed water, I think that's

[36:51] a very important part to make.

[36:54] And one of the reasons why we

[36:56] want to invest in including

[36:59] water and sewer lines to our

[37:00] property to support this effort.

[37:01] The next question is.

[37:03] How will the project impact the

[37:05] water quality in wells,

[37:07] groundwater and rivers and

[37:07] streams?

[37:09] So we've done extensive tests

[37:10] that we've already showed and

[37:11] talked about a little bit.

[37:13] But one of things that we have

[37:14] learnd is we will not materially

[37:16] change the composition of the

[37:16] groundwater.

[37:17] So what does that really mean

[37:18] and how do we say that?

[37:20] One of the things I want to make

[37:21] sure when I say we won't

[37:23] materially change it, that means

[37:25] we're not going to contaminate

[37:26] wells.

[37:28] I know that that's been, you

[37:29] know, a question or a thought

[37:30] that we continually get, how are

[37:32] we going to impact the wells?

[37:34] But based on the studies, we

[37:35] should not have any

[37:36] contamination to the wells.

[37:39] And I mean, I think everyone

[37:39] knows.

[37:40] There's stringent regulations

[37:42] that we have to meet in order to

[37:44] even have our process and our

[37:45] operations, we're going to do

[37:46] extebsive monitoring and testing

[37:49] throughout the operations of our

[37:49] plant.

[37:51] I'll show in a little bit of a

[37:52] different pictorial that shows

[37:53] how we're using the groundwater

[37:55] and we're going to recycle that,

[37:56] because when we open up the

[37:57] mine, groundwater will come into

[38:00] the pits and there's a recycled

[38:01] process that we'll use.

[38:03] We also have the two rivers that

[38:05] I mentioned that all of our

[38:07] process will go to.

[38:09] And then one thing that I want

[38:12] to make sure that we fine, a lot

[38:14] of the mining operations have

[38:16] ponds, the waste water that gets

[38:17] stored in a pond and there's

[38:19] failures associated with that.

[38:22] Our project has no pond.

[38:23] So that is something that we

[38:25] will not have, and we'll talk

[38:27] about how we'll do reclamation

[38:29] and how -- where our waste will

[38:33] go and how we will treat it.

[38:34] The next question.

[38:36] How will the project impact

[38:36] local wells and water

[38:38] availability for residents and

[38:40] local businesses?

[38:42] As I mentioned, studies indicate

[38:43] there will be no widespread

[38:45] drying up of wells.

[38:46] I say we wouldn't contaminate

[38:48] the wells but this is talking

[38:49] about how are we going to impact

[38:51] them from the quantity of water

[38:53] that they're going to get?

[38:55] We've done these studies and one

[38:56] of the analogy

[38:57] ies I want to give

[38:59] is some people think that the

[39:01] water table is like a bath

[39:01] bathtub.

[39:02] So you have this water table

[39:03] sitting there and just waiting

[39:05] for wells to come and pump out

[39:05] of it.

[39:07] But the reality of it is, you

[39:09] know, when you have a bathtub

[39:11] and you open up the drains and

[39:12] all of that water flows out.

[39:14] That's not what the water table

[39:15] really is.

[39:18] The water table sits in a layer

[39:19] above hard rock and even the

[39:22] material that we're going to

[39:22] mine.

[39:23] And therefore, that's how it

[39:23] works.

[39:25] And I'm going to show a

[39:26] pictorial that gets into a

[39:27] little bit more detail to be

[39:29] able to see that pick toirly.

[39:31] But I'll get back to the wells

[39:32] and water availability.

[39:34] Through the studies, there's

[39:36] maybe ten parcels that are

[39:38] nonpiedmont owned that could be

[39:39] impacted by draw down of our

[39:40] mining operation.

[39:43] And so, with that, we've already

[39:44] had the well mitigation plan,

[39:47] which erin went into details of

[39:48] how we will mitigate any wells

[39:50] that are impacted but we also

[39:51] have one of the solutions, which

[39:52] is the extension of the water

[39:54] and sewer lines to come to that

[39:54] area.

[39:56] So when we talk about wells

[39:58] being impacted, and groundwater,

[39:59] we feel we've put a good plan in

[40:01] place to be able to understand

[40:02] and support what that looks like

[40:05] and ready to immediately

[40:07] respond.

[40:09] So fresh water, I mentioned,

[40:11] what are we doing with

[40:11] groundwater?

[40:14] And I talked about the bathtub

[40:14] analogy, with where the

[40:15] groundwater is.

[40:16] We open a mine.

[40:18] That water is going to flow into

[40:18] our pit.

[40:21] Once it comes into our pits, we

[40:23] will pump that water out, and it

[40:25] will go into what we call

[40:26] sedimentation pond.

[40:27] Those sedimentation ponds are

[40:29] there to rest, and allow us to

[40:32] treat, and if we need to, we

[40:35] will also -- ills I'm sorry,

[40:36] rest, test and treat if we have

[40:36] to.

[40:37] Once it's in those ponds, we

[40:39] plan to reuse that water.

[40:41] So we're going to have a need

[40:43] for water for dust suppression

[40:46] and for our chemical and for our

[40:48] concentrator plant, that's the

[40:50] number two that we showed in the

[40:52] pictorial of mining concentrate

[40:52] tor.

[40:53] We don't need the same quality

[40:56] of water for the concentrator

[40:56] prathss so that groundwater will

[40:58] be able to source the water

[40:59] that's necessary for that

[40:59] process.

[41:01] And any residual water that's

[41:02] left in those sedimentation

[41:04] ponds would then be discharged

[41:06] to the streams and water ways

[41:07] nearby.

[41:08] But again, remember, we're going

[41:10] to be testing and we will treat

[41:12] if necessary, prior to those

[41:13] discharges.

[41:15] Now, once the water leaves our

[41:16] concentrator plant, similar to

[41:18] our chemical plant, we are also

[41:21] going to pretreat on site any

[41:22] processed water that comes from

[41:24] that concentrator plant.

[41:25] That processed water will then

[41:27] be pumped to two rivers to the

[41:29] waste water treatment system.

[41:31] So that circular process starts

[41:32] with groundwater, but ends from

[41:34] a processing perspective, at the

[41:37] two rivers for waste water

[41:37] treatment.

[41:38] On top of our pretreatment that

[41:41] we're going to do on site.

[41:44] So I mentioned sedimentation

[41:45] ponds in the previous slide.

[41:47] We have what we call

[41:48] sedimentation basins and

[41:50] sedimentation ponds.

[41:52] And sometimes those can be used

[41:53] interchangeablely, but they're

[41:54] actually very different.

[41:56] Our sedimentation basins are

[41:58] what we use for basically

[41:58] stormwater.

[42:01] Our erosion and sedimentation

[42:01] control.

[42:03] So the stormwater actually goes

[42:05] into those basin, we will then

[42:07] test, as that water is going in

[42:08] and before it goes out to

[42:10] understand and treat, if

[42:12] necessary, before release, and

[42:14] that's the water, again, solely

[42:16] stormwater from the site.

[42:17] Now, our sedimentation pond,

[42:19] that's the ponds that we use for

[42:20] groundwater and stormwater.

[42:22] From a combination of

[42:23] understanding what that looks

[42:23] like.

[42:26] That's the same water that we'll

[42:28] reuse at our concentrator plant

[42:29] and the dust suppression and

[42:30] then any water that's left would

[42:32] be discharged into streams.

[42:34] both of these discharges are

[42:35] going to be covered under a

[42:37] permit through the mpds system

[42:38] with the state of north

[42:38] carolina.

[42:40] So we will have good

[42:40] understanding of what's going

[42:42] into these areas, and what's

[42:43] going out of and make sure we

[42:45] have stringent requirements

[42:49] around them.

[42:50] Arsenic, I know we've heard

[42:51] many, many times about arsenic

[42:54] and so the question is, well

[42:57] will carolina lithium create or

[42:58] release arsenic into the local

[42:59] groundwater?

[43:01] I think that there's a

[43:04] misconception that arsenic is

[43:05] used in lithium mines that, is

[43:07] not true, we do not create,

[43:10] release or use arsenic from our

[43:10] operation.

[43:12] When I talk about that,

[43:13] obviously, I think many people

[43:15] are very aware there's naturally

[43:17] occurring arsenic in the

[43:18] groundwater around us in gaston

[43:21] county and other neighboring

[43:21] counties.

[43:23] That naturely occurring arsenic

[43:25] comes from the rock, the soil,

[43:27] and the groundwater due to

[43:30] volcanic rock activity in that

[43:30] region.

[43:32] So it's not there because we're

[43:33] mining it, because obviously we

[43:35] haven't mined yet, but it is

[43:39] there just naturely due to the

[43:41] -- anomaly of the geology that's

[43:41] there.

[43:43] This helps me explain the thing

[43:45] I was talking about earlier.

[43:47] As you can see here we have the

[43:49] water tables, the blue line that

[43:52] is there, and below is the

[43:56] volcanic rock and hosts the

[43:56] spodumene ore.

[43:58] It is below the water table.

[44:00] We're going to be removing that

[44:02] material and then pump or

[44:03] dewater al of that water from

[44:05] the mine or the pit area into

[44:07] the sedimentation ponds that I

[44:07] discussed.

[44:09] So therefore, water can't drain

[44:10] back into the water table.

[44:12] Once it comets out, it's not

[44:14] going to go back in, one of the

[44:15] analogies that was given to me

[44:16] is, you know, water likes the

[44:17] path of least resistance, so

[44:19] when it comes out, it's not

[44:21] going to go into those tiny kref

[44:22] sass that it came from, it's

[44:24] going to go to where the large

[44:24] spaces are.

[44:27] And the that's why it comes into

[44:30] the pit.

[44:31] How will waste be disposed and

[44:34] will it be hazardous?

[44:35] I'm going to go through the

[44:36] various waste, the first is like

[44:38] any other plant, just normal

[44:39] dumpster waste from our offices

[44:40] and other areas.

[44:42] Those things will go to a land

[44:44] fill and be disposed of

[44:46] properly, we will have a lab on

[44:46] site.

[44:48] That lab will have chemicals

[44:50] that would be deemed hazardous

[44:51] once we dispose of them.

[44:53] There will be small amounts of

[44:54] hazardous waste that come from

[44:57] the site, primarily from the lab

[44:57] operations.

[44:58] Our conversion tailings.

[45:00] So again, our conversion is that

[45:02] lithium hydroxide plant, there

[45:04] are waste and we call them

[45:06] tailings that come from that

[45:06] operation.

[45:08] And those tellings MAY have some

[45:09] beneficial reuse that we're

[45:10] currently exploring and looking

[45:12] for aggregate recycled.

[45:14] But in the interim, they will be

[45:16] disposed of off site, at a

[45:18] properly permitted disposal

[45:18] location.

[45:20] And the last two pieces of waste

[45:22] we have are what we call waste

[45:22] rock.

[45:24] Which is the rock that doesn't

[45:26] have lithium or any of our

[45:28] by-product materials in them.

[45:32] That rock will going into the

[45:33] comingling process to go back

[45:36] into the pit, when I talked

[45:40] about reclamation and erin was

[45:42] mentioned the reclamation pond.

[45:44] We will refill that pit with our

[45:46] waste rock and our concentrator

[45:48] tailings that is a very fine

[45:49] sapped that comes from that --

[45:50] sand that comes from that

[45:51] operation.

[45:52] Neither one of these are

[45:53] hazardous, that material will go

[45:53] back.

[45:55] And again, I think it's poshlt,

[45:56] you know, I talked about a

[45:58] tailings pond earlier.

[46:00] We won't have those tailings

[46:02] ponds on our properties to host

[46:02] this material.

[46:05] It one is not hazardous, and

[46:08] two, we have for reuse from a

[46:10] reclamation perspective.

[46:11] How will the project impact the

[46:16] air quality in the area?

[46:18] One of the things that's most

[46:19] important to understand is there

[46:24] will be no change to the air

[46:24] quality that currently exists

[46:24] differently from our property

[46:25] boundaries today.

[46:26] So the air that people are

[46:28] breathing in that area is the

[46:29] same air they're going to

[46:30] breathe once to operations are

[46:31] there.

[46:32] We've done testing and modeling

[46:33] to understand what is going to

[46:34] come from our operations, and

[46:35] looking at the controls we're

[46:37] going to have in place, and

[46:39] looking at our permit boundaries

[46:40] to understand the extent of

[46:41] that.

[46:43] We have a lot of emission and

[46:45] control equipment, we do

[46:46] monitoring and testing, and

[46:47] right now, we're in the process

[46:49] of working with department of

[46:51] air quality daq to obtain our

[46:54] air permit to be able to run our

[46:58] operations.

[46:59] Will piedmont leave behind large

[47:03] open pits?

[47:04] The quick answer to that is no,

[47:06] there will be one pit that will

[47:07] remain open that we'll fill with

[47:11] water, but again, as I've

[47:12] mentioned previously, we're

[47:14] going to be doing progressive

[47:15] reclamation and back fill, we

[47:17] will have one pit open at a

[47:18] time, as I mentioned and then

[47:19] the north pit, which you'll see

[47:22] in this picture, noted 4 for

[47:23] those that can see, will remain

[47:24] open.

[47:26] And we plan to own that area in

[47:29] perpetuity, so we will always

[47:30] understand what's there, what's

[47:31] the quantity and quality there

[47:32] and how we will control it.

[47:35] One of the things that I think

[47:37] is important is that from a

[47:39] reclamation perspective, we want

[47:42] to be able to free use this land

[47:44] once it's done.

[47:47] How loud and how long will each

[47:50] blast be?

[47:52] Modern blasts last seconds.

[47:53] So I know in the past, there's a

[47:56] lot of history of mining in this

[47:56] area.

[47:57] And there's stories we've heard

[47:59] of when the blasts go off,

[48:00] people having to go under deck

[48:04] and those types of things,

[48:05] today's modern technology does

[48:07] that give that same result so

[48:08] they last seconds. There's a

[48:09] lot of federal regulatory

[48:12] standards set in place and based

[48:14] on studies over 40 years,

[48:16] there's proof to show that if

[48:17] blasting is done within these

[48:19] federal regulatory standards,

[48:22] there's no structural damage.

[48:23] Obviously, you know, those

[48:25] studies not done by us, because

[48:26] we haven't been around for 40

[48:28] years are evidence of what can

[48:29] happen as long as you're

[48:31] following in the guidelines.

[48:32] When we talk about blasts

[48:33] there's two things that we

[48:34] normally hear, or get asked

[48:35] about, structure and nuisance.

[48:37] So I've mentioned structure.

[48:39] And how that 40 year study and

[48:40] we're going to less than 50%

[48:42] below those federal standards.

[48:44] But then there's nuisance, what

[48:46] happens around the nuisance with

[48:47] blasts?

[48:48] There's a lot of factors in what

[48:49] people are going to feel.

[48:50] The factors come from the

[48:52] direction that the blast is

[48:53] coming.

[48:54] What's the weather conditions

[48:54] for that day?

[48:56] How far are they from the

[48:57] blasting?

[48:58] Where are they located, indoors

[49:01] or outdoors?

[49:04] What we know based on studies is

[49:06] those 2,000 feet from the blast

[49:07] MAY have a wind or vibration

[49:08] that they feel.

[49:09] And the farther away you get

[49:11] from that, the quickly it

[49:13] rapidly diminishes that impact.

[49:14] So I think that's important and

[49:17] we have again many studies in

[49:20] our book to show what that looks

[49:20] like.

[49:22] We're often asked how often and

[49:24] will blasting occur?

[49:25] Initially, we plan to start

[49:26] blasting once a day, no more

[49:28] than twice a day.

[49:30] But there are also some

[49:30] scheduling requirements that

[49:32] will determine what that looks

[49:33] like.

[49:34] Due to the ordinance that was

[49:37] put in place in 2021, we know we

[49:39] can't blast one hour after --

[49:41] until one hour after sunrise.

[49:43] And we must stop one hour before

[49:45] sunset, so that's a very short

[49:47] window, depending on the season.

[49:49] Of when blasting can occur into

[49:50] that time frame.

[49:52] And you'll note, no sundays and

[49:53] certain holidays that have

[49:54] already been defined, we will

[49:59] follow those rules stringently.

[50:01] If lithium high -- is lithium

[50:02] hydroxide flammable?

[50:04] I can say from a standpoint of

[50:06] the chemistry of it, the answer

[50:07] is no.

[50:11] Lithium the high docks --

[50:12] hydroxide is not flammable.

[50:14] There's understanding, recently

[50:16] lithium fires in the area, those

[50:19] are were lithium metals, we will

[50:20] not have them on the site, we

[50:22] will not produce, manufacture

[50:24] anything to do with lithium met

[50:27] cals so we don't have that same

[50:28] flamability profile.

[50:29] It doesn't occur naturally in

[50:29] nature.

[50:31] So it's not like when you mine

[50:33] it, you unsource lithium metal,

[50:37] we unsource spodumene that host

[50:38] lithium, that same risk isn't

[50:38] there.

[50:40] And as I mentioned and as erin

[50:42] said earlier, lithium hydroxide

[50:45] is a salt so the flamability

[50:46] factors and the chemistry of it

[50:48] don't allow it to do that.

[50:49] The product that we produce will

[50:51] go into batteries, we do not

[50:52] produce batteries.

[50:54] We produce the salt.

[50:56] And then we sell it to battery

[50:57] manufacturers or car

[50:58] manufacturers that then put it

[50:59] into batteries.

[51:01] so there will be no batteries on

[51:05] our property.

[51:06] What is piedmont emergency

[51:07] response plan?

[51:08] As I mentioned earlier, we'll

[51:10] have a fire tank.

[51:12] We are a company that is

[51:13] currently working on developing

[51:14] our process, developing what our

[51:15] site looks like.

[51:18] So we are also developing that

[51:19] emergency response plan.

[51:20] What are we going to do?

[51:22] How are we going to do it?

[51:24] We're going to be like any other

[51:25] manufacturing plant and have

[51:26] that plan in place, we're going

[51:28] to work with the local fire

[51:28] departments and work with the

[51:29] local emergency planning

[51:30] commission, and so we can make

[51:32] sure that we're meeting

[51:34] everybody's needs and we have

[51:34] the right procedures in place

[51:36] and we can support each other.

[51:38] From a volunteer perspective in

[51:41] many cases or from an on site

[51:41] perspective.

[51:42] The protections we do have in

[51:44] place as I mentioned is the fire

[51:50] water tank, will be fully

[51:52] sprinklered and fire hydrants

[51:53] and visual and audible alarms to

[51:55] make sure everyone knows what is

[51:57] going on within the property.

[52:00] What is the expected life span

[52:02] of the carolina lithium project?

[52:04] So I'm going to talk about the

[52:07] mine and the lithium hydroxide

[52:07] facility.

[52:10] The lithium hydroxide facility

[52:12] has a 30-year life, typical

[52:13] manufacturing facilities put a

[52:16] 30 year life from a financial

[52:17] perspective on their

[52:19] manufacturing sites, we're no

[52:19] different.

[52:22] Now, the mine right now has an

[52:24] 11.5 year life span.

[52:25] One of the reasons that that is,

[52:28] is in order to define a mine,

[52:30] you have to have what's called

[52:32] technically available or

[52:35] reserved -- ore reserves.

[52:37] Base on what we know, it's 11

[52:39] pat 5 years but as erin

[52:41] mentioned, we know there's

[52:43] double that amount of ore in the

[52:44] ground versus what we have been

[52:47] able to allocate for this 11.5

[52:47] years, and because of that,

[52:49] there is a potential that this

[52:51] life span would extend.

[52:53] But again, from a technical

[52:55] legal perspective, ore reserves

[52:56] have a very special definition,

[52:58] which is why we had to give it

[53:01] an 11.5 year life.

[53:03] How will the facilities be

[53:05] decommissioned at the end of

[53:07] their useful life?

[53:08] One of the things that I think

[53:10] is important, we talked about

[53:11] economic impact.

[53:12] Once, you know, when and if this

[53:14] plan is ready to be decommission

[53:16] td, we will have a very skilled

[53:17] workforce that will be able to

[53:18] continue working in other

[53:20] industries in the area, or go

[53:21] other places.

[53:22] Hopefully stay here because

[53:23] obviously once you come to

[53:25] gaston county, you never want to

[53:27] leave.

[53:29] But from a concentrator

[53:31] perspective, we alled anticipate

[53:33] removing that where the

[53:35] concentrator plant is.

[53:37] For the lithium hydroxide, that

[53:39] could be repurposed if it cannot

[53:41] be converted or repurposed, we

[53:42] will have that surety bond in

[53:44] place that, will ensure we have

[53:45] the necessary funding to remove

[53:49] and reclaim that land as

[53:51] appropriate.

[53:52] Property values.

[53:54] What kind of impact does

[53:56] piedmont expect to have on

[53:57] nearby property values?

[53:59] Research shows that properties

[54:03] will not decrease but likely

[54:03] increase.

[54:04] So there's a phoenix center

[54:07] study that underlines this point

[54:07] --

[54:08] >> one second.

[54:11] We have already talked about

[54:13] this.

[54:13] Asked.

[54:14] This is why.

[54:17] I'm not going to allow it to

[54:17] happen again.

[54:20] I don't have -- you'll get your

[54:23] time and we'll keep moving

[54:23] forward.

[54:24] [Inaudible].

[54:26] >> I'm leaving.

[54:27] >> bye.

[54:27] >> make sure he's not coming

[54:28] back in.

[54:29] Go ahead, ma'am.

[54:31] >> research by the phoenix

[54:32] center under lies the point that

[54:34] I just defined.

[54:36] Results of higher economic use

[54:37] of land is also seen when it

[54:39] comes from the studies that have

[54:40] been done.

[54:42] As we talked about before, there

[54:44] will be a fund available for

[54:46] those that MAY be negatively

[54:48] impacted that MAY not be able to

[54:51] sell their homes or get a lower

[54:52] property value, we're trying to

[54:54] do everything possible to

[54:54] support what we're stating in

[54:55] that area.

[54:56] I want to thank you all for your

[54:57] time and attention, we

[54:58] appreciate the opportunity to be

[55:01] able to answer as many questions

[55:03] that we were provided, we are

[55:06] open and ready to take more, we

[55:07] thank you for your time.

[55:09] >>chair: thank you, ma'am.

[55:31] [Applause]

[55:34] >>chair: are there any

[55:35] questions from the board of

[55:37] commissioners on this matter?

[55:38] Commissioner fraley?

[55:41] >> I'll start with a couple, MR.

[55:41] CHAIRMAN.

[55:43] And MAY want to come back after

[55:47] we move through the board here,

[55:47] but.

[55:50] I was a little shocked to see

[55:52] 11.5 years, I heard it was going

[55:55] to be 11-25, that's more

[55:56] concerning that it's only going

[55:59] to be 11iers to disrupt all of

[56:02] these people and their homes and

[56:04] property and their water over

[56:06] 11-year project, but anyway.

[56:09] Most of my questions tonight are

[56:10] surrounding the water issue,

[56:12] some of them you've covered.

[56:14] Some of them you haven't.

[56:16] But from the water collected

[56:17] from the mine.

[56:18] Exactly where does it go?

[56:20] How is it treated?

[56:22] And how is it discharged into

[56:24] the streams and the water ways?

[56:26] >> so as I mentioned before, the

[56:28] water that's coming from the

[56:29] mines, the bottom picture on

[56:31] this screen, the sedimentation

[56:33] pond, any water that goes into

[56:35] the mine pit area will then be

[56:37] pumped into the sedimentation

[56:39] pont pond.

[56:42] That water will be there, sit,

[56:43] there, rest, test and treat.

[56:45] We will treat it, but it will

[56:47] also then be reused in our

[56:50] chemical -- in our concentrator

[56:51] plant for dust suppression.

[56:53] Prior to any releasing of that

[56:55] water to any water way, it will

[56:56] go through that testing, and

[56:59] then we have certain restriction

[57:00] -- stringent requirements we

[57:02] have to meet from a permitting

[57:03] perspective before we can

[57:03] release it.

[57:04] >> what is it treated with?

[57:06] >> it depends on what is in the

[57:07] water.

[57:08] obviously, you know, with this

[57:09] being pry

[57:09] imary

[57:12] ily groundwater, we

[57:14] anticipate there being arsenic

[57:16] in the water, once we get it and

[57:18] test it f the arsenic is there,

[57:19] there's various methods that can

[57:22] be used in order to treat it.

[57:23] Sometimes it's the acid addition

[57:25] in order to have a reaction and

[57:27] settle out into a salt that we

[57:28] will then collect and dispose.

[57:29] But there are various methods

[57:31] and we're exploring all of those

[57:32] options.

[57:34] So we can determine the best

[57:36] able to respond, depending on

[57:38] the concentration of the

[57:38] arsenic.

[57:40] >> I think it's important to

[57:42] note that in those cases where

[57:44] we might find elevated levels of

[57:46] arsenic because it's naturally

[57:48] occurring, and we rest it and

[57:50] test and it treat it before

[57:52] returning it, in those cases we

[57:54] will be returning the water

[57:55] better than when we found it,

[57:56] so.

[57:59] In those cases.

[58:03] >> if you say so.

[58:05] You talked of these discharge

[58:08] ponds and sediment basins

[58:11] designed for 20 five year flood

[58:13] specification, isn't it likely

[58:16] we will see one or more flood

[58:17] events that would overwhelm your

[58:17] design plan?

[58:21] >> right now, as you mentioned,

[58:23] designed to a 25 year flood

[58:25] event, that's the requirements

[58:27] and that's for the whole system.

[58:30] The way ours are currently

[58:31] designed, with the 25 year

[58:33] event, we have the capacity for

[58:34] five times the amount that's

[58:36] anticipated for one of those

[58:36] events.

[58:38] So if we were to have extensive

[58:40] flooding in the area, obviously,

[58:41] there will be things that we

[58:42] will be doing in order to

[58:43] control and manage it.

[58:46] But as a region, there will be a

[58:48] lot of other opportunities that

[58:50] would need to be maintaining not

[58:51] only on our facility but in the

[58:53] area to understand and be able

[58:55] to manage that.

[58:57] >> that would be a very scare

[58:59] are and I concerning time if

[59:00] that happened.

[59:03] And, you know, governor cooper

[59:05] said when you have two 500 year

[59:07] floods within two years of each

[59:09] other, it's pretty clear that

[59:11] it's not a 500 year flood, so,

[59:12] you know, there's a real

[59:13] potential that we're going to

[59:16] have to deal with that if this

[59:18] comes and what the fallout is

[59:21] going to be is very concerning.

[59:24] You answered my next question.

[59:25] Let's see.

[59:26] What are the processes that

[59:28] you're using to ensure that

[59:30] suspended materials in the basin

[59:32] don't escape?

[59:33] >> so anything that's -- so

[59:35] again, when we talk about the

[59:38] rest and test, so we have to

[59:40] have enough resting time for any

[59:42] solids to rest out of the water

[59:44] before it's discharged and so

[59:45] those sedimentation basins are

[59:47] designed to be able to allow

[59:48] that rest period, which I

[59:50] believe is three days.

[59:52] Before that it can be discharged

[59:55] into the water ways near them.

[59:57] >> well, and, you know, some of

[59:59] the words that I've heard, you

[1:00:01] know, used that we expect, it's

[1:00:04] our intention, we plan to, those

[1:00:07] are -- those are worrying words

[1:00:08] because they're not definite,

[1:00:10] they're not giving definite

[1:00:13] answer, we are intend to do

[1:00:14] something and we're going to

[1:00:15] try, we're going assist with

[1:00:20] fund anding -- funding and

[1:00:21] helping and we have to know

[1:00:22] definite answers and what's

[1:00:25] going to happen for sure, not

[1:00:26] anticipating, because it's too

[1:00:29] big of a deal, it's too big of a

[1:00:30] project and it's, you know,

[1:00:31] those things are a little

[1:00:31] concerning, too.

[1:00:34] But let me finish with a couple

[1:00:36] of these other questions.

[1:00:38] How many wells are within one

[1:00:40] mile of the currently proposed

[1:00:40] mine?

[1:00:41] Do you know the answer to that.

[1:00:42] >> I don't know the answer to

[1:00:42] that.

[1:00:43] But one of the reasons we don't

[1:00:45] know the answer to that is many

[1:00:46] wells aren't registered.

[1:00:46] >> right.

[1:00:48] >> so we don't know, unless we

[1:00:49] go and knock on every neighbor's

[1:00:50] door, that's the only way we'll

[1:00:53] have a true accurate count of

[1:00:54] that.

[1:00:57] I can tell you with not right

[1:00:58] now, but we do have the number

[1:01:00] based on the wells that are

[1:01:01] registered, I just don't have

[1:01:03] that information ready available

[1:01:03] today.

[1:01:05] >> well, I would think over the

[1:01:06] years that you've been working

[1:01:07] on it, that would be a very

[1:01:09] important thing to know, and to

[1:01:11] be able to -- if you had to

[1:01:12] knock on all of those neighbor's

[1:01:14] doors and go to all of that

[1:01:15] property, I think that should

[1:01:17] have already been done,

[1:01:18] personally.

[1:01:19] >> so if I could respond to

[1:01:19] that?

[1:01:21] One of the things that we are

[1:01:23] doing and one of the reasons why

[1:01:24] we haven't connected that dot

[1:01:27] for you yet, is because we are

[1:01:28] doing a draw down study of that

[1:01:30] area, working with the county

[1:01:31] and their expert DR. Spurl,

[1:01:33] we're looking at what impact our

[1:01:35] mining operations will have, and

[1:01:37] so we want -- obviously, when

[1:01:39] you say one mile of our project,

[1:01:41] mining only happens on a very

[1:01:42] small portion of the overall

[1:01:43] 1500 acres.

[1:01:45] And the so the draw down impact,

[1:01:47] if any, will happen on that

[1:01:48] portion of the mining

[1:01:49] operations.

[1:01:50] And we're working through to

[1:01:53] validate that study so that we

[1:01:56] can then do the door to door

[1:01:57] knocking to understand the

[1:01:58] long-term impact ts.

[1:01:59] >> well, since you were not sure

[1:02:02] of that answer, the next one I

[1:02:06] can skip.

[1:02:08] And you kind of went over the

[1:02:11] possible impacts.

[1:02:11] Discussed water lines --

[1:02:13] discussed the water lines for

[1:02:15] homes, what about the people

[1:02:17] that do not want to be put on

[1:02:17] municipal water?

[1:02:19] You talked about digging deeper

[1:02:21] wells, and doing that, but I

[1:02:23] mean, I don't know that you can

[1:02:25] out run, you know, a mine, I

[1:02:26] mean, you just keep going deeper

[1:02:27] and deeper and deeper, how deep

[1:02:29] is the mine going to be and how

[1:02:30] far can you actually go down

[1:02:32] with new wells?

[1:02:37] >> the water drawdown study that

[1:02:40] monique referred to, preliminary

[1:02:42] results show that only 10

[1:02:45] properties will be impacted with

[1:02:48] a draw down over 12 inches.

[1:02:50] We don't know.

[1:02:52] So there is not expected --

[1:02:55] based on these tests which

[1:02:57] DR. Sprul will comment on and

[1:02:59] confirm, there's not expected to

[1:03:02] be widespread drying up of these

[1:03:02] wells, so.

[1:03:03] >> not expected.

[1:03:04] >> yes.

[1:03:05] >> yeah.

[1:03:06] >> and I'll comment, on your

[1:03:07] question about that.

[1:03:10] As a publicly traded company,

[1:03:11] and my general counsel is

[1:03:13] sitting here, we are legally

[1:03:15] obligated to say expected to.

[1:03:18] Should, we're not allowed to say

[1:03:18] will.

[1:03:20] Or has until we've done it.

[1:03:22] So please understand that's the

[1:03:24] language that we are required to

[1:03:26] use as a publicly traded

[1:03:27] company.

[1:03:29] There's a lot of people out

[1:03:31] there who like to see people for

[1:03:32] saying it incorrectly.

[1:03:35] So we would work with each of

[1:03:38] those homeowner ifs their wells

[1:03:40] were impacted, and we're talking

[1:03:42] about 12 inches or more, so we

[1:03:44] would take each of those cases

[1:03:45] individually.

[1:03:47] And work with them.

[1:03:50] >> okay.

[1:03:51] If there has to be a water line

[1:03:54] built, how long after a well

[1:03:58] would go dry or was contaminated

[1:03:59] contaminated, which you said

[1:04:01] that wouldn't happen, would a

[1:04:03] person be able to get connected

[1:04:03] to a water line?

[1:04:05] >> I mean, to be able to say how

[1:04:06] long, so right now, based on the

[1:04:08] design of the engineering study

[1:04:09] that's being done, we will have

[1:04:11] a ring around our property.

[1:04:12] And then there will be -- what

[1:04:14] we're calling rural spurs that

[1:04:14] come from that.

[1:04:17] So depending on the location of

[1:04:18] where that house is, would

[1:04:19] really determine how long it

[1:04:20] would take.

[1:04:22] Once we were notified of the

[1:04:24] issue, we would immediately

[1:04:26] provide and make sure they have

[1:04:28] water valuable to available to

[1:04:30] them, so there would be no

[1:04:31] interruption of clean water to

[1:04:33] them x once we understand that

[1:04:35] and understand where the closest

[1:04:35] connection is, we will

[1:04:37] immediately start the process.

[1:04:38] Again, it's going be very case

[1:04:39] by case, depending to understand

[1:04:41] how long it will take.

[1:04:44] Because it just depends on how

[1:04:46] close they are to one of the

[1:04:46] spurs that we will.

[1:04:48] >> when you say available clean

[1:04:50] water, taking bottled water to

[1:04:51] their house or what are you

[1:04:51] talking about.

[1:04:53] >> it could be a water truck, it

[1:04:55] could be a water tank that sit

[1:04:57] there is, but it will be some

[1:04:58] type of water, we're not going

[1:05:01] to be bringing in, you know, I

[1:05:04] don't know the right term, but

[1:05:06] 40 bottles of water to their

[1:05:08] home, it will be a more

[1:05:09] substantial way in order to

[1:05:10] maintain their water.

[1:05:12] >> you know, we had a deal with

[1:05:13] the coal ash situation and there

[1:05:14] were people for years that

[1:05:15] actually had to have bottled

[1:05:18] water taken to their house until

[1:05:19] that was corrected.

[1:05:21] And I don't want to see any of

[1:05:23] our citizens put in that

[1:05:23] position again.

[1:05:25] How would you like to wake up

[1:05:26] one morning and your well is dry

[1:05:28] and you don't have any water

[1:05:29] available to you, and at least

[1:05:31] they were -- they had water,

[1:05:33] they just couldn't drink it.

[1:05:35] This case, if it's gone, it's

[1:05:35] gone.

[1:05:37] And if there's not water to

[1:05:38] them, then, you know, that's

[1:05:39] going to be a really bad

[1:05:40] situation.

[1:05:40] >> one thing that I would like

[1:05:42] to note, we are going to have

[1:05:44] monitoring wells around our

[1:05:44] property.

[1:05:47] so if wells are starting to lose

[1:05:49] volume, we are going to know

[1:05:51] before they would know, just

[1:05:52] from a proximity to the location

[1:05:53] of our operations.

[1:05:56] So those wells around our

[1:05:58] property are for monitoring

[1:05:59] purposes to understand the depth

[1:06:01] of the water and we will

[1:06:03] understand the draw down before

[1:06:05] it extends past our property.

[1:06:06] >> you made the statement that

[1:06:07] your process wouldn't

[1:06:08] contaminate any wells, but let's

[1:06:12] say 11.5 years and the project

[1:06:13] is over with.

[1:06:16] And water starts coming back up

[1:06:19] into the mine or the pit or

[1:06:21] whatever and it starts flowing

[1:06:22] back into the rock, the water,

[1:06:24] the, you know, the potentially,

[1:06:27] would that not be contaminated

[1:06:28] water at that point?

[1:06:29] When you're long gone and

[1:06:30] everybody has moved away but

[1:06:32] everybody here is still dealing

[1:06:34] with it, what's the potential of

[1:06:36] those mines being contaminated

[1:06:38] way down the road?

[1:06:40] 15, 20 years down the road?

[1:06:41] >> I apologize.

[1:06:44] So as I mentioned previously,

[1:06:45] water goes the path of least

[1:06:46] resistance so in the pictorial I

[1:06:49] have or the graphic on the

[1:06:50] screen, now, once that pit is

[1:06:52] open and even if it starts

[1:06:53] filling with water, if it were

[1:06:55] to get to the water table, water

[1:06:58] doesn't flow backwards into the

[1:07:01] water table, because the decree

[1:07:03] kref vas it comes from is so

[1:07:04] small, based on what the

[1:07:05] engineers have told me, that

[1:07:06] deal with hydrology constantly,

[1:07:09] not my field of study, they said

[1:07:11] it's just not possible,

[1:07:12] technically possible for that to

[1:07:13] happen, to back flow in.

[1:07:15] But what I will tell you, the

[1:07:17] water that's in those pits, is

[1:07:18] going to be the same groundwater

[1:07:21] that those wells are pumping

[1:07:21] from.

[1:07:22] It's just going to be in one

[1:07:24] central location, versus in that

[1:07:27] water table that's sitting

[1:07:27] there.

[1:07:29] >> I know in lincoln county now,

[1:07:31] there was an old lithium mine

[1:07:34] there, and a lot of the

[1:07:35] residents and citizens are

[1:07:37] finding that the wells they're

[1:07:38] operating now are contaminated

[1:07:41] with high levels, unacceptable

[1:07:42] levels of arsenic and I believe

[1:07:44] that was in the 50s so fast

[1:07:45] forward and that's what we're

[1:07:46] dealing with, and we don't want

[1:07:48] to put, you know, our children,

[1:07:49] or grand children in that

[1:07:51] position to be dealing with that

[1:07:53] on this land that's been owned

[1:07:55] by these people for some

[1:07:55] generations.

[1:07:57] And been paying taxes for a long

[1:07:57] time.

[1:07:58] And, you know, when you live in

[1:08:01] a rural area, like we do,

[1:08:02] that's, you know, you live there

[1:08:04] for the reasons that you don't

[1:08:06] want the deal with the stuff

[1:08:07] that this mine is going bring,

[1:08:09] it's very important that we get

[1:08:10] all of these questions answered

[1:08:13] and answered properly.

[1:08:15] I'll yield for right now, MR.

[1:08:16] CHAIRMAN.

[1:08:17] >>chair: thank you.

[1:08:18] Commissioner worley?

[1:08:21] >> thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN.

[1:08:23] You mentioned in the answers to

[1:08:26] commissioner fraley, about 1500

[1:08:27] acres.

[1:08:27] The mine.

[1:08:30] And I've had the maps.

[1:08:31] That the primary mine is

[1:08:33] approximately 1500 acres, but

[1:08:35] piedmont now controls over twice

[1:08:35] that many.

[1:08:36] >> uh-huh.

[1:08:38] >> about 3600 acres.

[1:08:38] >> yes, sir.

[1:08:41] >> and including several that

[1:08:43] are noncontiguous tracts, is it

[1:08:46] your intention to acquire all of

[1:08:48] the land between the mine and

[1:08:50] the disconnected tracts?

[1:08:52] >> so the tracts that we own as

[1:08:53] you mentioned that are not

[1:08:54] connected, those were acquired

[1:08:56] in order to do exploration

[1:08:58] drilling, so as we mentioned

[1:08:59] before, right now, within our

[1:09:01] mine permit boundaries, we

[1:09:03] understand that there's twice as

[1:09:05] much of the spodumene that we

[1:09:07] can call reserves, that give us

[1:09:10] that 11.5 year life, now as we

[1:09:11] continue mining operations and

[1:09:13] we grow, we would like to

[1:09:13] explore further.

[1:09:15] Where that goes, and how that

[1:09:17] goes, I can't speak to today

[1:09:18] because right now we're working

[1:09:22] on the 11.5 year mine but we

[1:09:24] want to exend the life of our

[1:09:24] operations, I don't know if

[1:09:25] there's anything that you would

[1:09:27] like to add, erin.

[1:09:27] >> no.

[1:09:29] >> well, that does bring me to

[1:09:30] the next question.

[1:09:30] That's I had.

[1:09:33] Are you actively looking to

[1:09:35] expand beyond this 3600 acres

[1:09:36] that you now control?

[1:09:37] So that's as yes, right.

[1:09:38] >> currently, we are not doing

[1:09:41] any exmroer ration work in --

[1:09:45] exploration work in the area.

[1:09:47] >> so it's not the bottom line

[1:09:50] that you want to buy all of the

[1:09:52] land in the ten spodumene build

[1:09:54] that you possibly can, that's --

[1:09:56] could you say yes or no to that.

[1:09:58] >> not currently at this time,

[1:10:01] we have plenty of -- as we've

[1:10:02] said, the ore reserves that we

[1:10:05] have defined are 11.5 years, we

[1:10:07] believe we have twice that just

[1:10:11] within the project boundary.

[1:10:12] So, you know, we -- we continue

[1:10:15] to look actually all over the

[1:10:17] world for further spodumene

[1:10:19] resources. Because as we

[1:10:21] mentioned earlier, 80 percent of

[1:10:25] the processed lithium, lithium

[1:10:29] hydroxide is made by china,

[1:10:31] we're looking for spodumene to

[1:10:32] support the U.S. Supply chain.

[1:10:34] As far as here, we're not

[1:10:35] actively pursuing anything

[1:10:36] further.

[1:10:37] To my knowledge.

[1:10:40] >> not out beyond that 11.5

[1:10:43] years but -- you're saying the

[1:10:46] 11.5 year is sort of the ceiling

[1:10:49] for now, but it could expand.

[1:10:50] >> well, let me say this.

[1:10:52] As erin mentioned, within our

[1:10:54] boundaries, where we're saying

[1:10:57] 11.5 years now, there is more

[1:10:58] spodumene that is underneath the

[1:10:59] ground today.

[1:10:59] >> sure.

[1:11:02] >> so that 11.5 years as we mine

[1:11:04] just what we have in our mine

[1:11:06] permit today, will likely grow.

[1:11:07] Past 11.5 year mark.

[1:11:10] We just can't speak to what that

[1:11:10] looks like.

[1:11:12] Because technically, we haven't

[1:11:14] done the work to be able to

[1:11:17] transition those reserves and --

[1:11:19] the indicated amounts that's

[1:11:20] there into reserves that would

[1:11:22] allow us to expand that life.

[1:11:23] >> okay.

[1:11:24] Well, maybe let me ask -- sort

[1:11:25] of another way.

[1:11:28] So if we were to approve this

[1:11:30] initial project, later on,

[1:11:32] gaston county could be asked to

[1:11:35] approve a project -- a project

[1:11:36] that is two to three times

[1:11:38] larger than this, is that

[1:11:38] feasible?

[1:11:40] >> I wouldn't -- I wouldn't

[1:11:42] speculate about the size.

[1:11:44] but, you know, some of that land

[1:11:46] is buffer.

[1:11:49] For right now, all of it is

[1:11:49] buffer.

[1:11:53] So we are only looking at the

[1:11:55] 1548 currently.

[1:11:58] If we wanted to expand beyond

[1:12:01] that, yes, we would have to come

[1:12:02] before you again.

[1:12:06] >> and the followup to that, if

[1:12:08] and when that the state mining

[1:12:11] permit is issued, would you say

[1:12:14] it would be easier to get

[1:12:17] further approval from the state

[1:12:18] to expand?

[1:12:20] Would you think that would be an

[1:12:21] easier process or the same?

[1:12:26] >> so based on where the -- how

[1:12:28] dimler is managing the mine

[1:12:29] permit today, I can't say it

[1:12:31] would be easier, we would have

[1:12:33] to do the same due diligence we

[1:12:33] have done to understand any

[1:12:35] environmental impact, all of the

[1:12:36] studies and update all of our

[1:12:39] permits so it is not a slam dunk

[1:12:41] I'll say that we get this mine

[1:12:43] permit if we were to -- that any

[1:12:45] expansions or modifications

[1:12:46] would be easy.

[1:12:50] I would not say that.

[1:12:53] >> would piedmont agree to any

[1:12:54] sort of agreement with the

[1:12:57] county to limit the scope of the

[1:12:59] project in any way?

[1:13:00] Initially?

[1:13:01] Would that be something.

[1:13:03] >> beyond the current project

[1:13:03] boundaries?

[1:13:05] I think that -- that would have

[1:13:07] to be discussed in the community

[1:13:08] development agreement or some

[1:13:10] other form.

[1:13:16] >> okay.

[1:13:18] I will have just one more follow

[1:13:21] up question, MR. CHAIRMAN.

[1:13:21] >>chair: yes, sir.

[1:13:25] >> what would you see has the

[1:13:27] potential options for

[1:13:29] redevelopment of reclaimed land

[1:13:32] once it was -- once the mining

[1:13:33] operation were through, what

[1:13:34] would be the value or what would

[1:13:37] be any redevelopment options

[1:13:41] that you would -- could see

[1:13:41] further?

[1:13:43] Because, you know, a lot of us

[1:13:44] kind of feel like that this land

[1:13:47] is going to be worthless when

[1:13:48] piedmont leaves.

[1:13:50] But if there's some options out

[1:13:52] there that you see that's a

[1:13:53] possibility, I would like to

[1:13:53] know.

[1:13:55] >> I mean, I think we have one

[1:13:56] example in our backyard, with

[1:13:58] the kings mountain mine, where,

[1:13:59] you know, after they ceased

[1:14:02] operations, I believe in the 80s

[1:14:04] or 90s where they reclaimed it

[1:14:06] to have trails and greenway,

[1:14:08] this area could be used for the

[1:14:09] same type of purpose in regards

[1:14:12] to having greenways and trails

[1:14:13] and other outdoor opportunities

[1:14:14] for that area.

[1:14:16] >> and that -- that's around the

[1:14:16] mining area.

[1:14:18] That's where people tend to

[1:14:18] focus.

[1:14:21] We will reclaim those, once

[1:14:22] those pits are filled back in,

[1:14:25] we'll cover it back up with the

[1:14:26] soil.

[1:14:28] And we replant.

[1:14:29] But the other parts of the site,

[1:14:32] if they were no longer in use,

[1:14:34] could be repurposed for

[1:14:36] industrial use or whatever use

[1:14:38] the community wanted.

[1:14:39] >> right.

[1:14:39] Okay.

[1:14:41] Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN.

[1:14:42] Thank you.

[1:14:44] >>chair: commissioner

[1:14:44] cloninger.

[1:14:47] >> my questions relate to

[1:14:47] blasting.

[1:14:49] So I would like to know how many

[1:14:50] people live now on the property

[1:14:53] that they own within a half mile

[1:15:03] of the future mine pit?

[1:15:05] >>chair: can you step up,

[1:15:06] please, so we can hear and state

[1:15:08] your name for the record?

[1:15:11] >> hi, I'm emily blackburn

[1:15:13] winter, I'm a geologist and

[1:15:15] community relations for piedmont

[1:15:16] lithium.

[1:15:17] And we have sent out community

[1:15:19] mailers to engage with neighbors

[1:15:20] of our project.

[1:15:22] And the number that I can give

[1:15:25] you is within 1500 feet from our

[1:15:27] permit boundary.

[1:15:31] There are roughly 550 parcels in

[1:15:32] that area.

[1:15:35] >> that's the entire project not

[1:15:36] just the mining area.

[1:15:37] >> okay.

[1:15:39] So that includes the buffer and

[1:15:40] all of that?

[1:15:41] That includes everything?

[1:15:42] >> anything outside of our mine

[1:15:44] permit boundaries.

[1:15:45] >> okay.

[1:15:45] All right.

[1:15:47] >> again, that's for the entire

[1:15:49] 1500 acres, not just the eastern

[1:15:51] side, where the mines will be.

[1:15:51] >> okay.

[1:15:54] So how many homes will feel any

[1:15:56] effect from the blasting done on

[1:15:59] -- at the site?

[1:16:03] >> we do have our blasting

[1:16:05] expert here, he agreed to come

[1:16:07] tonight to ask any questions

[1:16:08] that were beyond our purview,

[1:16:11] MAY we ask him to come up?

[1:16:12] >>chair: please.

[1:16:12] >> thank you.

[1:16:14] >>chair: sir, state your name

[1:16:16] and your occupation there,

[1:16:17] expertise for the record.

[1:16:20] >> good evening, sir.

[1:16:22] My name is stuart bra sheer, I'm

[1:16:24] technical service manager for

[1:16:26] austin powder company out of

[1:16:28] cleveland, ohio.

[1:16:30] If you could rephrase your

[1:16:32] question, I'll fly

[1:16:32] try to -- .

[1:16:34] >> how many homes will feel any

[1:16:36] effect from the blasting done at

[1:16:36] the site?

[1:16:39] >> I haven't been involved as

[1:16:41] closely, obviously, as the

[1:16:44] people that have talked here.

[1:16:48] So I don't numbers other than we

[1:16:50] have looked at the whole site

[1:16:53] and we've -- we've used other

[1:16:54] quarries and operations in this

[1:16:56] part of north carolina as a

[1:16:58] model for how fast the

[1:17:03] vibration, the energy a ten u

[1:17:06] waits and we know typically a

[1:17:08] 3,000 foot distance where

[1:17:10] there's no perception of

[1:17:11] blasting.

[1:17:14] Now, people are very sensitive

[1:17:15] to vibration.

[1:17:17] So some people will feel stuff

[1:17:19] that others might not at the

[1:17:20] same distance.

[1:17:23] A lot of it has to do with

[1:17:24] activities, if you're busy, you

[1:17:25] don't notice it.

[1:17:27] If you're sitting, and not doing

[1:17:29] anything and waiting for it to

[1:17:30] happen, you'll notice it.

[1:17:32] So there will be -- I mean,

[1:17:33] there will be perception, some

[1:17:35] people surrounding the property

[1:17:36] will know when we blast.

[1:17:38] There's no doubt about that.

[1:17:40] >> so is there a map that is

[1:17:43] involved that can -- that will

[1:17:46] impact or show that blasting

[1:17:47] amount?

[1:17:50] >> I believe that's --

[1:17:51] >> we are working on two things,

[1:17:52] so to answer your question, you

[1:17:57] know, there are four pits.

[1:18:00] And we will be blasting at

[1:18:02] different times because we'll

[1:18:04] only open one pit at a time.

[1:18:06] So we'll be blasting in one part

[1:18:06] of the pit.

[1:18:10] And modern blasting is very

[1:18:11] precise.

[1:18:12] so, you know, it depends on what

[1:18:13] part of the pit you're in and

[1:18:15] how deep it is.

[1:18:17] And so we could help provide

[1:18:20] some radiance of an example, if

[1:18:22] we're blasting in this pit at

[1:18:24] this particular depth, what

[1:18:26] direction the blast is going on,

[1:18:26] etcetera.

[1:18:28] But as monique explained

[1:18:30] earlier, we will be -- we expect

[1:18:33] to be less than 50% of what the

[1:18:37] federal regulations are.

[1:18:42] And that is partly to reduce the

[1:18:43] level for thol folks.

[1:18:46] We know if we're within the

[1:18:47] prescription of the federal

[1:18:48] regulation, we will not do

[1:18:49] damage to homes.

[1:18:51] But the other side of it is

[1:18:53] nuisance, people feel something,

[1:18:57] or hear something, so it is a

[1:18:58] little bit difficult to answer

[1:19:00] because there's four pits,

[1:19:01] different depth and different

[1:19:01] times.

[1:19:04] Different types of homes.

[1:19:06] Homes -- it depends on the

[1:19:08] weather, if there's cloud cover.

[1:19:09] That creates a different

[1:19:09] scenario.

[1:19:12] But we're happy to put more

[1:19:13] information together.

[1:19:15] The other thing that we're doing

[1:19:17] is we're looking at our austin

[1:19:19] powder is doing a study on each

[1:19:21] property that is touching the

[1:19:23] boundary of the mining side of

[1:19:24] the project.

[1:19:26] And we will have that

[1:19:27] information available for each

[1:19:29] of those homeowners, that's

[1:19:31] specific to their property.

[1:19:33] So they're working on that.

[1:19:34] And we will make that available

[1:19:37] to those homeowners.

[1:19:40] >> okay, will that be a public

[1:19:42] demonstration so people will

[1:19:42] know what to expect?

[1:19:44] >> we can do that.

[1:19:46] we -- part of what we want to

[1:19:48] do, going forward, this fall, is

[1:19:50] hold town halls where people can

[1:19:53] come and ask more questions and

[1:19:54] talk to people like stuart and

[1:19:56] really put their hands on

[1:19:56] things.

[1:19:59] But, yes, we can -- we can help

[1:19:59] with that.

[1:20:02] >> and if I MAY, we've been

[1:20:04] talking about damage to

[1:20:06] structures from blasting and

[1:20:08] it's important to realized the

[1:20:10] standards that we're held to are

[1:20:13] not based on structural damage.

[1:20:14] It's what's called threshold

[1:20:16] damage, which is literally

[1:20:18] anything, any extension of a

[1:20:21] hairline crack, any opening up

[1:20:23] of a crack in a little mortar

[1:20:24] joint.

[1:20:26] The way the regulations are

[1:20:27] basically read.

[1:20:28] And it's based on over 40 years

[1:20:31] of research that we have very

[1:20:33] finite standards.

[1:20:34] For blasting.

[1:20:37] And we know, again, based on 40

[1:20:38] years of these standards, never

[1:20:40] being shown wrong, that if our

[1:20:43] levels stay below that, we have

[1:20:45] statistically zero chance of

[1:20:46] causing even cosmetic damage to

[1:20:48] a structure.

[1:20:50] Not structural damage.

[1:20:51] But any change of condition as a

[1:20:52] result of the blasting.

[1:20:55] And that's what we stick to.

[1:20:57] And the mine will be required to

[1:21:03] have multiple size ma graphs out

[1:21:05] and traced to the standards and

[1:21:06] everything, they're very

[1:21:07] accurate and give us realtime

[1:21:10] data and our blasting operations

[1:21:12] are changed shot by shot by

[1:21:15] shot, based on the previous

[1:21:15] results and we're constantly

[1:21:17] changing, there's amazing things

[1:21:19] that we can do in cancellation,

[1:21:20] much like noise cancellation

[1:21:21] headphones, we can do the same

[1:21:22] thing in the ground.

[1:21:25] Change the timing of our blasts

[1:21:28] to cancel vibration out.

[1:21:30] Things have changed a lot in the

[1:21:32] last 20 years so we're very

[1:21:33] adept to being a good neighbor

[1:21:35] and minimizing the perception of

[1:21:36] blasting, and that's our goal.

[1:21:39] We don't worry about protecting

[1:21:41] structures w e know we're going

[1:21:42] to do that.

[1:21:43] We're not going to hurt

[1:21:43] anybody's property.

[1:21:45] Our goal is to minimize

[1:21:46] perception as much as possible

[1:21:48] to get as close to 0 perception

[1:21:50] in a community as we can.

[1:21:51] >> what impact will blasting

[1:21:54] have on pets or livestock?

[1:21:58] Because this is a very rural

[1:21:58] community.

[1:22:00] >> understood.

[1:22:02] Experience has shown personal

[1:22:03] experience, as well as -- I

[1:22:05] don't like to get into a lot of

[1:22:06] studies because we all know

[1:22:07] about studies you hate hearing

[1:22:08] about them.

[1:22:11] But animals are very adaptable.

[1:22:13] A lot more than people in a lot

[1:22:14] of cases.

[1:22:16] And typically, they get used to

[1:22:18] it real quick, and most animals

[1:22:21] don't react to it at all.

[1:22:23] Originally.

[1:22:25] But those that do, pretty

[1:22:28] quickly figure out it's no big

[1:22:32] deal, and there's plenty of case

[1:22:35] cases, aberdeen proving grounds

[1:22:37] outside of baltimore where the

[1:22:38] army does the munitions testing

[1:22:40] is one of the largest

[1:22:41] concentrations of bald eagles on

[1:22:43] the east coast, because they

[1:22:43] realized that nothing is going

[1:22:45] to bother them there and they're

[1:22:46] in the wide open, they have

[1:22:50] gotten used to the racquet,

[1:22:52] which is magnitudes greater than

[1:22:54] what we would do, there should

[1:22:55] be no problem at all with that.

[1:22:58] >> or even with dogs who MAY be

[1:22:59] terrified with fireworks or

[1:23:00] anything else like that, that's

[1:23:01] not going to --

[1:23:03] >> typically not because the

[1:23:05] sounds are very different from

[1:23:06] fireworks.

[1:23:08] It's -- we're just putting a

[1:23:09] basically a pressure wave

[1:23:10] through the air, it is like a

[1:23:12] gust of wind more than anything,

[1:23:14] it's barely audible.

[1:23:16] And my experience with my own

[1:23:18] pets and having everything from

[1:23:19] horses to chinchillas, I live

[1:23:22] very close to a quarry myself.

[1:23:23] And there's -- they don't seem

[1:23:25] to have an issue with it.

[1:23:26] >> okay.

[1:23:28] MR. CHAIRMAN, that's all of my

[1:23:28] questions.

[1:23:31] >>chair: commissioner hovis?

[1:23:34] >> thank you, sir.

[1:23:38] My questions are going to be

[1:23:41] centered around your chemical

[1:23:43] processing, what -- how you're

[1:23:45] going to differentiate your

[1:23:47] process versus other processes

[1:23:50] that are used to take spodumene

[1:23:53] and turn it into refine it?

[1:23:59] And I think that the auto tech

[1:24:02] process is what you're looking

[1:24:05] at and I have a couple of

[1:24:05] questions.

[1:24:07] I believe that you're looking at

[1:24:09] using this in tennessee and

[1:24:10] maybe you've already started it

[1:24:11] in tennessee.

[1:24:13] Because you said you've already

[1:24:15] produced ore.

[1:24:17] >> so we have -- so we don't

[1:24:19] have any operations that

[1:24:20] currently working, we.

[1:24:20] >> okay.

[1:24:22] >> permits in tennessee.

[1:24:23] >> gotcha.

[1:24:24] >> but we haven't started any

[1:24:24] construction.

[1:24:25] >> will it be using that

[1:24:25] process?

[1:24:27] >> yes, sir.

[1:24:29] >> okay.

[1:24:32] And my -- in conjunction with

[1:24:35] that, where is it being used in

[1:24:35] production?

[1:24:38] I understand it's pretty much a

[1:24:41] table top lab design concept,

[1:24:42] and hasn't been put into place

[1:24:43] to my knowledge.

[1:24:45] In a production basis producing

[1:24:47] the volumes that we're talking

[1:24:49] about needing to produce, to

[1:24:51] meet the demand.

[1:24:51] And the market.

[1:24:55] Is it being done elsewhere?

[1:24:57] >> so right now, auto tech

[1:24:59] process is not in production for

[1:25:01] lithium hydroxide production.

[1:25:04] They do use the auto tech

[1:25:06] pressure relation technology in

[1:25:08] others such as gold.

[1:25:11] And so to your point there is no

[1:25:15] commercial operation using

[1:25:15] technology.

[1:25:18] >> that's because we're -- it's

[1:25:19] kind of a little bit of a

[1:25:20] leading edge question and that's

[1:25:22] the reason I asked because be

[1:25:24] nice to know it was proven and

[1:25:25] you knew what the results and

[1:25:29] all of the other unintended

[1:25:30] consequences of that process and

[1:25:33] what it will yield in terms of

[1:25:35] this by-products because every

[1:25:37] action has an equal and opposite

[1:25:38] reaction.

[1:25:40] I think I heard that somewhere

[1:25:42] back when I was in school, back

[1:25:45] when we used stone tablets and

[1:25:45] hammers.

[1:25:47] >> I'm there with you.

[1:25:49] >> with that being said, it's

[1:25:50] important to understand.

[1:25:52] Because I happen to live

[1:25:55] one-third of a mile from -- I've

[1:25:58] lived one-third of a mile from

[1:26:00] that processing plant ever since

[1:26:02] -- well, excuse me, all of my

[1:26:02] adult life.

[1:26:05] That plant was built the year I

[1:26:05] was born.

[1:26:07] So it's been around for 69

[1:26:08] years.

[1:26:11] So I'm a little familiar with

[1:26:13] the standard processing of

[1:26:15] spodumene and the ore and this,

[1:26:17] that and the other and you made

[1:26:18] one comment earlier in your

[1:26:20] comments, ma'am, that there

[1:26:23] would be no tailings from this

[1:26:24] process.

[1:26:29] Yet, on slide 15, we talk about

[1:26:30] tailings.

[1:26:35] Now, I'm not trying to beat you

[1:26:35] up.

[1:26:36] >> to worries.

[1:26:38] >> but explain to me why there's

[1:26:39] no tailings when tailings are

[1:26:40] mentioned on slide 15.

[1:26:42] >> so I mentioned there would be

[1:26:43] no tailings pond.

[1:26:46] So tailings are a waste product

[1:26:47] from the process.

[1:26:49] Normal mining operations has wet

[1:26:51] tailings that go into ponds.

[1:26:53] We will have dry tailings.

[1:26:55] So that's our concentrator plant

[1:26:58] will have tailings and our

[1:27:01] chemical -- lithium hydroxide

[1:27:04] will have tailings but dry

[1:27:06] tailings, that's the difference

[1:27:07] wet versus dry.

[1:27:09] >> will those be lined.

[1:27:09] >> what.

[1:27:14] >> will they be lined, mem lined

[1:27:16] so any precipitation of

[1:27:19] rainwater doesn't precipitate

[1:27:20] into the soil.

[1:27:22] >> the permit, I'm not sure if

[1:27:30] any have read the adi3, dimler

[1:27:35] is requiring us to put a liner

[1:27:36] under that waste rock pile.

[1:27:37] >> the conversion facility,

[1:27:38] excuse me, the conversion

[1:27:41] facility tailings are going off

[1:27:43] site.

[1:27:45] So what's coming from the

[1:27:46] conversion facility is not --

[1:27:48] those tailings are not being

[1:27:48] stored on site.

[1:27:49] >> off site where?

[1:27:52] >> so right now, we're working

[1:27:54] to get the testing, we know that

[1:27:54] it's not hazardous.

[1:27:57] So one of the first places that

[1:27:59] we will look to dispose of those

[1:28:02] tailings is the lab landfill.

[1:28:05] The conversion plant fills could

[1:28:07] be used as cover, there is

[1:28:09] potential reuse of that

[1:28:10] material, we're exploring those

[1:28:11] options.

[1:28:13] Aggregate uses.

[1:28:16] So we haven't defined 100% which

[1:28:17] landfill, because there's so

[1:28:19] many other options that we have.

[1:28:20] >> sure.

[1:28:21] Sure.

[1:28:26] And is there -- this technology,

[1:28:30] this new technology, does

[1:28:33] piedmont carolina lithium have

[1:28:34] rights to that?

[1:28:36] Have you purchased that?

[1:28:42] Do you have someone in your

[1:28:42] employ.

[1:28:44] >> a licensed technology, so we

[1:28:48] do not own the technology.

[1:28:49] >> okay.

[1:28:51] >> but we will purchase the

[1:28:52] technology.

[1:28:53] >> that's part of what I'm

[1:28:54] trying to say, so you're going

[1:28:58] to acquire the licensure to use

[1:28:59] that process?

[1:29:02] >> I wouldn't say licensure -- I

[1:29:04] don't know the right technical

[1:29:06] legal term for it.

[1:29:08] >> we will purchase the system

[1:29:11] from that, and I will go back to

[1:29:13] what you said earlier, we will

[1:29:15] not be the first to use it.

[1:29:17] One of our customers that's

[1:29:19] fairly well known is going to

[1:29:20] use it first.

[1:29:23] We will use it in tennessee.

[1:29:26] Prior to doing it here.

[1:29:29] So lessons will have been

[1:29:31] learned along the way by us in

[1:29:32] tennessee, that's our sister

[1:29:33] plant that will be very much

[1:29:34] like the one built here.

[1:29:34] >> right.

[1:29:38] >> but that one will go first.

[1:29:43] And it will be used by others

[1:29:44] before us.

[1:29:49] >> do you have a 90% surety in

[1:29:54] your mind set, this process will

[1:29:57] yield the volume of product at

[1:29:59] the cost necessary to market

[1:30:00] your final product and not have

[1:30:02] the other unintended

[1:30:04] consequences of something that

[1:30:07] you have -- that's unforeseen as

[1:30:07] a by-product.

[1:30:09] >> based on the pilot testing

[1:30:11] and again as you referenced, you

[1:30:12] know, the pilot testing is what

[1:30:13] we have done, we have confidence

[1:30:15] that we can produce the product

[1:30:19] we need at the cost that we've

[1:30:19] anticipated.

[1:30:19] >> okay.

[1:30:21] Those are all of my questions at

[1:30:22] this time, MR. CHAIRMAN.

[1:30:23] >>chair: thank you.

[1:30:24] Commissioner keigher?

[1:30:27] >> just a couple that have

[1:30:28] popped up.

[1:30:33] In another lifetime, I spent 25

[1:30:36] years -- one of my top ten

[1:30:38] accounts.

[1:30:40] For 25 years.

[1:30:44] And I actually had the

[1:30:47] unfortunate experience of being

[1:30:51] in a -- it wasn't an explosion,

[1:30:54] it was more piping, something

[1:30:56] happened, and piping just split

[1:30:59] and it pulled the valves off and

[1:31:01] I got burned pretty good.

[1:31:03] I did have a face shield on.

[1:31:06] But my clothes were burned so I

[1:31:07] understand there's -- when you

[1:31:10] mentioned that lithium hydroxide

[1:31:12] is not flammable or explosive,

[1:31:14] but what about the other

[1:31:15] materials that you will have to

[1:31:16] use?

[1:31:17] I didn't hear anything about

[1:31:18] those.

[1:31:20] They've got to be highly

[1:31:21] flammable and explosive.

[1:31:23] >> so the process that you MAY

[1:31:25] have been working around or been

[1:31:27] around during that time was more

[1:31:29] than after the leeching process.

[1:31:31] >> in the 80s, 90s.

[1:31:33] >> up until now, the production

[1:31:35] of lithium hydroxide was done

[1:31:37] with acid leaching, which is an

[1:31:39] acid that once you heat it, it

[1:31:40] will burn you.

[1:31:42] So not surprised, according to

[1:31:44] that, if that's the process that

[1:31:45] you were around.

[1:31:47] Our technology does not use acid

[1:31:49] leaching at all, that's why we

[1:31:52] have the metsal auto tech

[1:31:53] process, the pressure --

[1:31:56] >> no sulfuric or --

[1:31:58] >> we will -- the acid that we

[1:32:00] will have be pry marley used for

[1:32:02] -- primarily used for cleaning

[1:32:04] and in the waste water and not

[1:32:05] the chemical processing.

[1:32:06] >> okay, and the other thing,

[1:32:08] the other question I wanted to

[1:32:09] ask.

[1:32:09] Two part.

[1:32:12] Why is it taking so long for the

[1:32:16] state to issue a permit and in

[1:32:17] your opinion, is there any

[1:32:19] chance the state would deny it?

[1:32:19] .

[1:32:21] >> so we get obviously we get

[1:32:22] asked that question a lot.

[1:32:24] Why is it taking so long.

[1:32:25] One of the things that we

[1:32:27] understand is lithium mining

[1:32:28] hasn't been done in this area in

[1:32:31] a very long time and so the

[1:32:32] process that the state is going

[1:32:34] through to ep ensure that

[1:32:36] everything that we're doing is

[1:32:37] adequate, to me is

[1:32:38] representative of the diligence

[1:32:39] that the state is putting into

[1:32:40] it, to make sure it's done right

[1:32:43] and for our benefit to make sure

[1:32:45] that they -- there are minimal

[1:32:46] risks that we impacted by

[1:32:47] through our process.

[1:32:49] Am I surprised it's taking so

[1:32:49] long?

[1:32:51] Not really, I actually

[1:32:52] appreciate it, because I feel

[1:32:55] like the risk of being mitigated

[1:32:56] through this process.

[1:32:58] I forget your second question.

[1:32:59] I'm sorry.

[1:33:02] >> is there any possibility in

[1:33:03] your minds that the state would

[1:33:04] deny it.

[1:33:06] >> obviously, I don't have a

[1:33:08] crystal ball, if I did, I would

[1:33:09] have rubbed and gotten an answer

[1:33:10] for that.

[1:33:12] But what I will say is, I feel

[1:33:13] like we're doing everything we

[1:33:14] need to do to answer their

[1:33:14] questions.

[1:33:17] And as long as we do that, I

[1:33:20] can't -- I wouldn't -- I

[1:33:21] wouldn't anticipate them denying

[1:33:23] the permit.

[1:33:25] >> thank you.

[1:33:26] >>chair: thank you, sir.

[1:33:26] All right.

[1:33:28] I guess I get the rest of the

[1:33:28] time.

[1:33:31] Going to be a lot here.

[1:33:33] First of all, I want to say

[1:33:34] thank you to the ones that

[1:33:35] showed up.

[1:33:37] I want to let you know that this

[1:33:40] process today, like I stated

[1:33:42] from the very first time you

[1:33:44] came, can still possibly be the

[1:33:46] worst rollout I've ever seen of

[1:33:48] economic development.

[1:33:50] Please.

[1:33:52] I say that, look at all of these

[1:33:54] people here in this crowd.

[1:33:58] Your ceo refused to come

[1:33:58] tonight.

[1:34:00] He knew about this meeting

[1:34:01] months in advance.

[1:34:02] And we're sitting here today,

[1:34:05] and we still don't see him.

[1:34:06] and I've got to tell these

[1:34:08] people that y'all are

[1:34:10] trustworthy citizens that want

[1:34:13] to help them, they still never

[1:34:13] come.

[1:34:16] That, to me, kills me inside

[1:34:17] because I have to answer

[1:34:19] questions from these people

[1:34:19] every day.

[1:34:22] I have media call me, every day.

[1:34:23] About this issue.

[1:34:25] And I have to answer it.

[1:34:26] Your people, the only people

[1:34:28] that come, I've seen you, ma'am,

[1:34:30] two meetings, and now we come to

[1:34:33] this and he's not here.

[1:34:34] Is there any reason why -- does

[1:34:37] he think it's not important?

[1:34:39] Because this company is valued

[1:34:41] on what this commission needs.

[1:34:44] And it needs a leader, I promise

[1:34:44] you that.

[1:34:46] I'll go through my questions

[1:34:47] now.

[1:34:48] The commission will receive

[1:34:49] questions, every day from

[1:34:51] concerned citizens about these

[1:34:52] proposed projects and different

[1:34:53] thing, list of written

[1:34:55] questions, why not, you guys

[1:34:56] talked about open and

[1:34:58] transparent in the last meeting

[1:35:01] back in 2021.

[1:35:04] We have tried to work with you

[1:35:07] guys, we asked, hey, we had to

[1:35:09] hire a hydrologist and an

[1:35:10] outside communication, we asked

[1:35:11] for that, would you like to

[1:35:14] share that, so we could share

[1:35:14] information.

[1:35:15] Can you tell me why you guys

[1:35:17] didn't want to after your lawyer

[1:35:19] recommended that you should?

[1:35:22] >> a hydrologist?

[1:35:25] >> our hydrologist, we asked for

[1:35:27] shared costs on different

[1:35:29] outliers for the studies and

[1:35:30] different things.

[1:35:32] >> I'm not aware of that

[1:35:36] request.

[1:35:39] >>chair: the project has been

[1:35:42] based on a lot of promises, I'll

[1:35:43] ask, again, following this

[1:35:45] information, will you guys put

[1:35:47] this presentation on your

[1:35:48] website?

[1:35:50] Tonight's presentation?

[1:35:52] All documents that have been

[1:35:53] submitted from the state and

[1:35:54] federal government related to

[1:35:55] the required permits for the

[1:35:56] project?

[1:35:57] All of the studies that have

[1:35:59] been referenced in said proposal

[1:36:02] for this presentation tonight?

[1:36:04] And before?

[1:36:10] I noticed that we -- we raised

[1:36:13] issues on the hydrologist study

[1:36:15] by DR. Strul, you mentioned it

[1:36:16] tonight in your presentation,

[1:36:19] you failed to submit that.

[1:36:23] To the north carolina, when you

[1:36:27] were looking for their permit.

[1:36:30] >> it's not complete, we can't

[1:36:32] present it because it's not

[1:36:32] complete.

[1:36:34] >> you're meeting with sprul.

[1:36:36] >> this is why it hasn't been

[1:36:37] provided, as far as all of the

[1:36:39] other studies you referenced,

[1:36:40] yes, we brought the binders

[1:36:43] tooted, -- today, they will go

[1:36:45] in the library, in the

[1:36:46] cherryville and we offered to

[1:36:48] put them all online.

[1:36:50] So it's easier to access than

[1:36:54] having to go to the state.

[1:36:55] >>.

[1:36:57] >>chair: has our study not been

[1:36:57] completed.

[1:36:59] >> we are still -- they are

[1:37:01] finishing out the modeling that

[1:37:04] was done on the second study,

[1:37:06] the data has been collected.

[1:37:08] That they are back and forth

[1:37:12] with hdr and DR. Sprul go back

[1:37:14] and forth of the actual modeling

[1:37:15] to be given.

[1:37:16] >>chair: would you be willing

[1:37:17] to share that, what you guys

[1:37:19] found on your website as well,

[1:37:21] asking and yes or no

[1:37:21] questionnaire for that?

[1:37:23] On what is found out in the

[1:37:23] study?

[1:37:26] >> once it's final, yes.

[1:37:27] >>chair: okay.

[1:37:29] You had mentioned earlier and I

[1:37:31] might have to ask the blast

[1:37:33] expert, when there's a blasting

[1:37:36] situation, let's just say it's

[1:37:38] 25 feet deep.

[1:37:40] What are the visual aspects that

[1:37:42] I can see?

[1:37:44] Dust?

[1:37:46] What would I be able to see in

[1:37:50] -- if I were sit agoing --

[1:37:52] sitting away from it, what would

[1:37:54] be the characteristics that I

[1:37:55] would see?

[1:37:56] >> thank you for the question.

[1:37:59] In the type of mining that is

[1:38:01] done and will be done here, it

[1:38:03] will be very disappointing, you

[1:38:06] continue see much at all --

[1:38:07] won't see much at all.

[1:38:09] It's not like a quarry like at

[1:38:10] kings mountain where there's a

[1:38:12] kind of a ledge that we blast

[1:38:15] into for them to excavate,

[1:38:16] because of the deposits of the

[1:38:17] ore, they can't have the

[1:38:18] material shift a lot because

[1:38:20] they want to keep that

[1:38:21] differentiation between the ore

[1:38:24] and waste rock, otherwise,

[1:38:26] financially, it gets to be a

[1:38:27] mess so our blasts will be

[1:38:29] designed not to move.

[1:38:30] They will just fragment, lift

[1:38:32] up, and sit down.

[1:38:34] So there will be a minor amount

[1:38:36] of dust, much less than in a

[1:38:38] normal aggregate operation.

[1:38:39] >>chair: but just in case it

[1:38:42] could get into the air and shift

[1:38:45] into one of these said streams,

[1:38:46] ponds, that are nearby.

[1:38:48] People we were told earlier

[1:38:50] there would be nothing in the

[1:38:51] air quality had changed.

[1:38:53] >> there's no guarantees but

[1:38:55] that's just the top of the

[1:38:56] ground.

[1:38:58] Yes, sir.

[1:39:00] >>chair: with that, is it not

[1:39:02] true that lithium hydroxide d

[1:39:04] when it reacts with water, does

[1:39:06] it not become a corrosive?

[1:39:07] >> yes.

[1:39:10] It is a corrosive once it gets

[1:39:15] wet.

[1:39:17] >>chair: you guys have

[1:39:20] mentioned canada, ghana, north

[1:39:23] carolina, tennessee, and

[1:39:24] obviously you guys should be

[1:39:26] very proud of that, but will you

[1:39:28] sell -- when you think about the

[1:39:29] entities that you have inside of

[1:39:32] the united states and talking

[1:39:33] about being a part of and

[1:39:34] looking for a second source for

[1:39:36] the next piece of the puzzle,

[1:39:39] how many companies do you think

[1:39:40] are in the united states right

[1:39:44] now who offer those to you?

[1:39:45] >> offer -- I don't know -- I

[1:39:46] donald nant.

[1:39:47] >>chair: what you would have to

[1:39:48] have to make your -- to be able

[1:39:50] to put with the battery, how

[1:39:51] many different companies are out

[1:39:52] there for resources that you MAY

[1:39:55] have as customers?

[1:39:56] To sell to?

[1:39:58] >> oh, okay.

[1:40:00] Well, there have been $80

[1:40:02] billion worth of commitments

[1:40:03] made by car manufacturers and

[1:40:08] battery manufacturers, there are

[1:40:09] numerous companies that we could

[1:40:10] sell to.

[1:40:11] We currently --

[1:40:15] >>chair: more than 100?

[1:40:17] >> I'll let our commercial --

[1:40:18] chief commercial officer.

[1:40:19] >>chair: I'm trying to figure

[1:40:21] out because my question is

[1:40:22] related to foreign entities

[1:40:24] after the fact, you go and do so

[1:40:25] much inside of the united states

[1:40:26] if there's only a few companies,

[1:40:27] so to speak.

[1:40:28] I want to know if you're going

[1:40:31] to sell this after you get a

[1:40:32] permit or are you going to sell

[1:40:32] it out?

[1:40:34] Is that going to be something

[1:40:36] that you guys look forward to,

[1:40:38] say, hey, we did the leg work

[1:40:39] and now we're going to sell it

[1:40:41] to some foreign entity?

[1:40:42] Or because we always want to be

[1:40:44] -- we keep talking about wanting

[1:40:45] to do everything inside of the

[1:40:45] united states.

[1:40:48] So that's why I'm trying to

[1:40:50] figure out now for everybody

[1:40:52] that we do, because I have

[1:40:54] 300,000 people I have to be

[1:40:55] responsibler at the end of the

[1:40:56] day, that's why I'm very

[1:40:57] diligent and making sure that we

[1:40:59] ask all of the questions,

[1:41:00] regardless of how harsh, how

[1:41:02] bad, I want these kids, and I

[1:41:03] want these parents to

[1:41:04] understand, that there's a

[1:41:07] future if we do this.

[1:41:09] >> thank you, CHAIRMAN Brown and

[1:41:11] commissioner, I'm austin, chief

[1:41:12] commercial officer for piedmont

[1:41:14] lithium t answer to your

[1:41:14] question, I've travelled all

[1:41:16] over the world, selling lithium.

[1:41:17] And I don't like traveling all

[1:41:18] over the world.

[1:41:20] My intent is to sell our lithium

[1:41:22] products here in the united

[1:41:22] states.

[1:41:25] And when you look at what future

[1:41:28] demand will be, erin referenced

[1:41:29] the amount of investments made

[1:41:31] by the automobile ev supply

[1:41:32] chain.

[1:41:33] And there are battery makers,

[1:41:35] that are within a few hours of

[1:41:36] our facility.

[1:41:40] There are battery makers in

[1:41:42] georgia, tennessee, they're in

[1:41:44] ohio and so our customer base

[1:41:46] and when you look at what the

[1:41:48] demand for lithium products will

[1:41:51] be, will far out strip the

[1:41:53] potential supply here in the

[1:41:53] united states.

[1:41:56] So all of our products will stay

[1:42:00] in the united states.

[1:42:01] >>chair: thank you.

[1:42:03] Back to you, if we self-test

[1:42:05] these -- if you guys are

[1:42:06] self-testing, what happens if a

[1:42:08] test comes back and it's not

[1:42:10] within your scope of work?

[1:42:12] If it comes out outside of the

[1:42:14] regular bound, will you shut

[1:42:16] down the entire plant or will

[1:42:19] you just work until you get that

[1:42:19] mitigated?

[1:42:20] >> which test?

[1:42:21] >>chair: this here is usually

[1:42:22] on the self-testing for the

[1:42:24] water, that you guys are doing.

[1:42:25] >> so with water, we will have

[1:42:27] the ability to retain, depending

[1:42:28] on which pond those are in, we

[1:42:30] will have the ability to retain

[1:42:31] that water.

[1:42:32] Before it's released so we're

[1:42:34] going to be testing as it goes

[1:42:35] into the pond and if those

[1:42:37] levels are high, we will as we

[1:42:39] talked about before, rest, let

[1:42:40] it sit, and test.

[1:42:43] And then treat if necessary

[1:42:46] prior to release.

[1:42:47] >>chair: thank you.

[1:42:50] I have questions on like 800

[1:42:52] different pages of -- back to

[1:42:52] the tailings.

[1:42:56] If the tailings are

[1:42:57] nonhazardous, why can't they be

[1:43:00] set back into the refilling pit?

[1:43:04] >> the lithium hydroxide plant

[1:43:06] tailings, we feel there's a

[1:43:08] potential for some items to

[1:43:09] leach, if ph isn't properly

[1:43:10] controlled and so therefore, we

[1:43:12] want to ensure that those

[1:43:14] materials are properly managed

[1:43:22] in the proper locations.

[1:43:23] >>chair: on to my last page, I

[1:43:24] guess this is it.

[1:43:25] >> here here as long as you need

[1:43:26] us here.

[1:43:27] >>chair: no, I just want to

[1:43:28] make sure that we get all of

[1:43:29] these questions out, and these

[1:43:33] are going to go back to some of

[1:43:37] the legal perspectives.

[1:43:39] Has pl given assistance or

[1:43:41] assurance to gaston county

[1:43:42] commissioners that they have

[1:43:43] already committed to approve

[1:43:44] this project?

[1:43:46] >> has who?

[1:43:48] >>chair: have you guys given

[1:43:49] the assurance that the gaston

[1:43:51] county commissioner has already

[1:43:53] approved this project to others,

[1:43:55] maybe stakeholders or anybody

[1:43:56] else, of that sort.

[1:43:57] >> no, sir.

[1:43:58] >>chair: do you have any reason

[1:43:59] to believe that the gaston

[1:44:01] county commissioners are a

[1:44:04] biassed either and/or against

[1:44:06] piedmont lithium in any way?

[1:44:17] >> no, sir.

[1:44:18] >>chair: has anyone made any

[1:44:20] promises to anyone regarding the

[1:44:22] outcome of rezoning processes

[1:44:24] from our board or staff?

[1:44:25] >> no, sir.

[1:44:28] >> no, sir.

[1:44:29] >>chair: are you willing to

[1:44:31] work with our staff and

[1:44:33] attorneys to establish the land

[1:44:34] conditions that go beyond the

[1:44:35] minimums required for the use of

[1:44:38] the mining permit?

[1:44:39] >> we've already been doing so

[1:44:44] and we'll continue to do so.

[1:44:46] >>chair: I know there's a

[1:44:47] million dollar bond already for

[1:44:48] closure.

[1:44:50] Are you willing to accept the

[1:44:50] higher bond?

[1:44:53] >> yes, that's one of the four

[1:44:55] commitments we were willing to

[1:44:55] make.

[1:45:07] >>chair: okay.

[1:45:09] What enforceable promises can

[1:45:11] you provide to us that state

[1:45:13] that this -- if you are granted

[1:45:15] the mining permit, that will not

[1:45:20] be sold to a foreign operation?

[1:45:29] >> chief legal officer of

[1:45:30] piedmont lithium.

[1:45:31] First of all, I don't think that

[1:45:34] the mining permit can be sold or

[1:45:35] transferred.

[1:45:38] On its own.

[1:45:41] We do not intend and have put

[1:45:42] things in place from a corporate

[1:45:43] perspective that would make it

[1:45:46] difficult for other companies to

[1:45:47] buy us.

[1:45:49] But there's no guarantee that

[1:45:51] anyone can give that someone

[1:45:52] couldn't launch a hostile take

[1:45:54] over, but the terms of the

[1:45:56] permits themselves, would

[1:45:58] restrict any buyer from just

[1:46:00] coming in and operating, they in

[1:46:02] turn would have to get approved

[1:46:03] by whatever agency.

[1:46:05] >>chair: I guess I'll be

[1:46:06] looking for something on side

[1:46:09] the publicly traded aspect, if

[1:46:12] anyone were to acquire 51%

[1:46:12] through that.

[1:46:13] >> again, we're perfectly

[1:46:16] willing to work with you, and

[1:46:17] continue to work and maybe

[1:46:19] that's part of the community

[1:46:20] development agreement, and I

[1:46:23] know there's some commentary

[1:46:24] about, you know, some of our

[1:46:26] language not being firm.

[1:46:27] We expect to have all of these

[1:46:29] issues addressed in the

[1:46:30] community development agreement.

[1:46:33] And that's where we will have

[1:46:33] covenants and it will be a

[1:46:36] contract between us and you.

[1:46:37] >>chair: thank you.

[1:46:39] >> and one point on the mine

[1:46:41] life, I would just like to make,

[1:46:43] the U.S. Has very specific rules

[1:46:44] about reserves.

[1:46:46] And as a public company, we have

[1:46:49] to adhere to that, for example

[1:46:51] in canada and australia, two

[1:46:52] large mining jurisdictions,

[1:46:55] their rules are a little bit

[1:46:56] looser and they could -- our

[1:46:57] mine life would be a lot longer

[1:46:59] if we were following those

[1:46:59] rules.

[1:47:01] But we are in the U.S.

[1:47:02] And we follow the sec's rules.

[1:47:06] And that's the reason for the

[1:47:08] 11.5 year life, which as monique

[1:47:11] has said, we firmly believe in

[1:47:12] the mining area there's more

[1:47:14] there but we can't technically

[1:47:15] say it yet, so thank you for

[1:47:16] your time.

[1:47:18] >>chair: commissioner hovis?

[1:47:20] >> thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN.

[1:47:22] Your comment about the community

[1:47:24] development agreement, that was

[1:47:26] your slide six in your

[1:47:28] presentation today.

[1:47:31] All of those asterisks, appear

[1:47:33] by every one of those important

[1:47:35] caveats that all of these people

[1:47:37] will understand and we certainly

[1:47:38] won't understand.

[1:47:40] So I think I understand this t.

[1:47:41] But you correct me if I'm wrong.

[1:47:44] That's the living document.

[1:47:46] It's developing, it's being

[1:47:47] fleshed out.

[1:47:49] And as we along with you and

[1:47:52] your legal staff, as we move

[1:47:54] down this corridor, those items

[1:47:57] will be discussed and written in

[1:48:02] a manner that's acceptable to

[1:48:04] this board prior to the issuance

[1:48:07] of any kind of conditional

[1:48:07] rezoning.

[1:48:08] >> yes.

[1:48:09] That is exactly right.

[1:48:11] And that's why we put the

[1:48:13] asterisk there, this has not

[1:48:14] been negotiated yet.

[1:48:14] >> no.

[1:48:15] >> our intentions.

[1:48:18] >> because those four points are

[1:48:20] the four major concerns, which

[1:48:22] you obviously understand.

[1:48:22] >> yes, sir.

[1:48:25] >> and if you have any draft

[1:48:27] language and you can put draft

[1:48:28] all over it, it would be good to

[1:48:29] see where you think some of

[1:48:32] those are earlier and then we

[1:48:34] can tweak it and morph it and

[1:48:35] when we get to that point to

[1:48:37] where it needs to be.

[1:48:40] That's part of of the

[1:48:41] transparency issue that the

[1:48:42] CHAIRMAN Was trying to speak to

[1:48:44] so that we all are talking

[1:48:46] openly and the public can see

[1:48:49] this openly.

[1:48:51] And we've got to make -- I do

[1:48:56] not want to see, and this is a

[1:48:58] hovis personal comment, I did

[1:49:00] not want to see northwestern

[1:49:02] gaston county become the next

[1:49:04] love canal.

[1:49:06] And that's the best

[1:49:07] interpretation and concern that

[1:49:11] I can express to you, to

[1:49:12] understand, because when the

[1:49:14] holloman b mine was constructed

[1:49:16] in 1954, and mined until the

[1:49:19] late 80s, there was no

[1:49:21] requirements for remediation,

[1:49:22] there was no requirements for

[1:49:24] return to use.

[1:49:27] And there was no overburden

[1:49:29] regulations and that overburden

[1:49:31] went up 280 feet.

[1:49:34] And for my son's farm on -- road

[1:49:36] in the winter time when the

[1:49:38] leaves are off of the trees, ki

[1:49:41] see those rocks and he lives 3.2

[1:49:44] miles away, and I say that just

[1:49:45] because of knowledge.

[1:49:48] And these people have very valid

[1:49:48] concerns.

[1:49:50] And it's our responsibility as

[1:49:52] their elected officials to

[1:49:54] address and mitigate those as

[1:49:55] much as possible.

[1:49:56] and that's the reason for our

[1:49:57] questions, that's the reason for

[1:50:00] the CHAIRMAN's comment about

[1:50:01] transparency.

[1:50:03] And from what I've heard today,

[1:50:05] it appears that you do wish to

[1:50:07] do that.

[1:50:09] And that's a good checkmark on

[1:50:10] your side.

[1:50:13] But I am the one who challenged

[1:50:14] your ceo from this dais and our

[1:50:16] meeting two years ago, to come

[1:50:19] and apologize to these people

[1:50:22] who he said, his words, had been

[1:50:24] strong armed by individuals

[1:50:26] working on behalf of acquiring

[1:50:28] these properties by piedmont

[1:50:28] lithium.

[1:50:28] He said that.

[1:50:31] Those are his words.

[1:50:32] You can pull the tape up and

[1:50:33] look at it again.

[1:50:34] But I challenged him to come and

[1:50:37] speak to these people

[1:50:38] personally.

[1:50:38] Face-to-face.

[1:50:40] And you heard what our CHAIRMAN

[1:50:42] Said prior to that, and that's

[1:50:44] -- that's kind of a little

[1:50:45] offensive to us.

[1:50:47] Because this is gaston county.

[1:50:49] And we are gaston county.

[1:50:52] And we will make the decisions

[1:50:54] that's right for gaston county.

[1:50:56] >> yes, sir.

[1:50:58] >> thank you.

[1:50:59] [Applause]

[1:51:02] >>chair: please don't.

[1:51:03] >> we're doing business.

[1:51:04] >>chair: commissioner fraley.

[1:51:05] >> yeah.

[1:51:08] A couple of followups, MR.

[1:51:09] CHAIRMAN.

[1:51:10] One, had been mentioned tonight

[1:51:12] is the lighting, the project

[1:51:14] apparently is going to be

[1:51:17] running 24/7, is that rights,

[1:51:18] 7-days a week, what kind of

[1:51:20] lighting are you using and what

[1:51:21] can the neighbors expect, you

[1:51:22] know, to have to deal with on

[1:51:24] that?

[1:51:26] Is it going to like the bank of

[1:51:27] america stadium every night and

[1:51:28] the noise and the trucks going

[1:51:29] and the lights on?

[1:51:31] I mean, how is that going to

[1:51:33] affect the, you know, the area?

[1:51:36] >> well, first of all, I believe

[1:51:38] you're aware, gaston county has

[1:51:40] an ordinance that dictates,

[1:51:41] light, noise and all of those

[1:51:43] things that have to be at our

[1:51:45] property boundary, and it is

[1:51:47] certain positions to residents

[1:51:49] or other properties, we will

[1:51:50] follow all of those ordinances

[1:51:52] so in regards to lights, our

[1:51:54] lights will be pointed down on

[1:51:54] our property.

[1:51:56] And they'll be set, they'll be

[1:51:58] many buffers around us.

[1:52:02] In regards to natural buffering,

[1:52:04] also, in natural buffering with

[1:52:05] berms and barriers and those

[1:52:06] types of things, so we're doing

[1:52:08] within our design, one, not only

[1:52:10] to meet your ordinance, but to

[1:52:12] be good neighbors in the area to

[1:52:13] make sure that we're not

[1:52:14] impacting negatively those

[1:52:17] around us due to noise and

[1:52:17] lights.

[1:52:19] >> so the 500 parcels that have

[1:52:21] been identified at night, at

[1:52:23] midnight, when the lights are

[1:52:25] on, they're not going to be

[1:52:26] looking out the bedroom window

[1:52:27] and seeing lights that's going

[1:52:30] to be dark outside?

[1:52:32] >> no, we can't say that -- .

[1:52:35] >> I can't shai -- say that it's

[1:52:37] going to be dark.

[1:52:41] I can say it will meet the

[1:52:41] ordinances for property.

[1:52:43] >> maybe we need to make the

[1:52:46] ordinances stricter.

[1:52:51] Also, this MAY be a question for

[1:52:51] the attorney.

[1:52:53] The contract that was signed

[1:52:55] with the city of cherryville,

[1:52:58] was it your intention that that

[1:53:00] contract with the city of

[1:53:02] cherryville is enforceable?

[1:53:08] >> -- we're using the word

[1:53:09] intention and intent a lot

[1:53:10] tonight so I thought I would

[1:53:11] throw that in.

[1:53:12] >> well, sure.

[1:53:13] Yes, it was our intent that it

[1:53:15] be enforceable and it is

[1:53:18] certainly my belief that it is

[1:53:19] enforceable.

[1:53:20] Enforceable.

[1:53:21] >> differences of opinion, so I

[1:53:22] just -- that's why I wanted you

[1:53:24] to get up here and make that

[1:53:25] statement.

[1:53:26] >> I'm happy to make it.

[1:53:29] I believe it is enforceable.

[1:53:31] We have fully intend and expect

[1:53:33] that we will fulfill our

[1:53:35] obligations under that contract

[1:53:37] and the only way you would even

[1:53:39] -- if we didn't do anything, and

[1:53:41] you sued to enforce it, I

[1:53:43] believe you would win in court.

[1:53:44] And that would be the only time

[1:53:46] you would have to do that.

[1:53:49] But we expect to fulfill our

[1:53:50] obligations and we've already

[1:53:52] started that, so.

[1:53:55] >> okay, thank you.

[1:53:58] >>chair: I have one other

[1:54:02] question.

[1:54:03] Obviously, you guys have

[1:54:04] agreements all across the board

[1:54:06] with a lot o of people.

[1:54:07] If someone were to want out of

[1:54:09] one of those agreements, would

[1:54:12] you -- would piedmont lithium

[1:54:15] will willing to let them out.

[1:54:17] >> you mean property owners.

[1:54:19] >>chair: under a

[1:54:19] confidentiality signing.

[1:54:22] >> I think that's more of a

[1:54:25] legal question.

[1:54:27] >> stay up here.

[1:54:28] >> sure.

[1:54:30] I can't speak on behalf of the

[1:54:32] whole company.

[1:54:34] But, you know, haven't forced

[1:54:35] anyone to close on any property

[1:54:37] that they didn't want to, so

[1:54:38] we've actually closed on a lot

[1:54:39] of properties.

[1:54:43] You know, at this point.

[1:54:45] I mean, again, I'm not aware

[1:54:48] that we've forced anybody to do

[1:54:50] anything.

[1:54:51] >>chair: so if I were to have

[1:54:54] someone call me and ask me that

[1:54:56] you had an agreement with, that

[1:55:00] they were told to get a

[1:55:02] appraisal, the appraisal came

[1:55:03] back that said let's use a round

[1:55:07] number, to

[1:55:07] $20,000.

[1:55:08] >>chair: and you guys valued at

[1:55:09] 6,000 and they said that wasn't

[1:55:12] a good idea, but yet, you said,

[1:55:14] well, we already have the

[1:55:14] agreement, we'll sue you and

[1:55:16] we'll get the property, is that

[1:55:18] something that could have been

[1:55:20] said on pl's behalf?

[1:55:23] >> I'm aware that we have

[1:55:25] agreements out there that have

[1:55:27] appraisal options in it for the

[1:55:28] seller.

[1:55:29] I know there's one in

[1:55:31] particular, and I'm not going to

[1:55:33] litigate it up here.

[1:55:36] But we are working with, you

[1:55:39] know, that person and that

[1:55:41] owner.

[1:55:44] My -- the way it usually work is

[1:55:46] if the appraisal is higher, it

[1:55:47] moves to that side of the

[1:55:49] ledger, not to our side of the

[1:55:49] ledger.

[1:55:53] So it's in fact in their favor.

[1:55:54] >>chair: I just wanted you to

[1:55:56] be on the record saying that,

[1:55:57] the problem I have as we all do

[1:55:58] this all together, we're trying

[1:56:00] to be good neighbors and we all

[1:56:03] want to be good citizens to each

[1:56:03] other.

[1:56:04] And the part that we've heard in

[1:56:06] different instances of whatever,

[1:56:09] like I said, my job is to

[1:56:11] protect this county at all costs

[1:56:12] and I want to make sure that you

[1:56:13] guys understand what you're

[1:56:15] doing is answering questions

[1:56:16] that people have asked us or at

[1:56:18] some point have come to us,

[1:56:19] obviously by us knowing the

[1:56:21] knowledge that we know, you guys

[1:56:21] see that as well.

[1:56:23] So I wanted to say thank you for

[1:56:24] coming tonight.

[1:56:24] On that behalf.

[1:56:26] I'm going to do citizens

[1:56:27] comments now, unless you guys

[1:56:29] have something that you want to

[1:56:31] finish with?

[1:56:33] The commissioners, are you good?

[1:56:34] So go ahead, ma'am.

[1:56:36] >> I think our closing remarks

[1:56:38] are first, since we mentioned

[1:56:40] earlier, we want to thank you

[1:56:42] all for your time tonight for

[1:56:43] allowing us to answer the

[1:56:44] questions that we had previously

[1:56:46] and during this time.

[1:56:49] We want to be good neighbors, as

[1:56:50] we stated before and do the

[1:56:52] right thing, so again, we want

[1:56:55] to thank you for your time.

[1:56:56] >>chair: thank you guys.

[1:56:56] >> thank you.

[1:56:59] And we'll be happy to answer any

[1:57:00] future questions.

[1:57:02] >>chair: we'll take citizens

[1:57:02] comments and then we'll kind of

[1:57:04] look and see how that looks for

[1:57:05] us on you guys.

[1:57:10] I don't want it to be a back and

[1:57:11] forth, I want to get information

[1:57:14] to you guys and we'll start

[1:57:15] there.

[1:57:20] The citizens -- I'm sorry.

[1:57:21] The citizens recognition comment

[1:57:22] period is not intended or

[1:57:23] required for the commission or

[1:57:24] the staff to answer any

[1:57:26] questions, provide a response,

[1:57:27] questions requiring a response

[1:57:29] shall be answered as soon as

[1:57:31] possible, through the county

[1:57:33] manager's office or otherwise

[1:57:33] directed.

[1:57:34] The comment period will be

[1:57:36] limited tonight, to three

[1:57:36] minutes per person.

[1:57:38] As I call your name, please step

[1:57:39] to the podium, state your name

[1:57:42] and address for the record, and

[1:57:44] we will also please adhere that

[1:57:46] that you'll see the green light,

[1:57:48] and it will go to the yellow

[1:57:49] light will start blinking and

[1:57:50] once we get to the red light, I

[1:57:52] don't mind you taking a few

[1:57:54] things over, but try to wrap it

[1:57:56] up as you see the red light,

[1:57:58] that MAY it makes it easy

[1:57:59] because I don't want to feel

[1:58:01] like I have to be mean, I try

[1:58:04] not to be mean, but it's in my

[1:58:04] nature, so.

[1:58:06] But what we'll do, I'll call you

[1:58:08] up, I'll go ahead and through

[1:58:09] the whole list, that way you

[1:58:11] guys will see that and then that

[1:58:12] way everybody will know where

[1:58:13] they fall in line, if you want

[1:58:15] to come right after another, as

[1:58:17] you see, when your time comes

[1:58:20] up, I'll keep doing as well.

[1:58:23] Sandra foster and brian harper,

[1:58:25] and locke bell.

[1:58:27] And lisa strap.

[1:58:28] Bryson lynn heart.

[1:58:30] Jessica lynn heart.

[1:58:32] Tim lynn hart.

[1:58:36] Rich and warren snowden, that's

[1:58:38] the way the group goes, if

[1:58:39] that's all right x. We'll start

[1:58:42] there and sandra, brian and

[1:58:47] locke.

[1:58:48] Locke.

[1:58:50] >> thank you, commissioners.

[1:58:52] My name is sandra foster.

[1:58:54] I'm at 108 adder holt road,

[1:58:57] that's in bessemer city.

[1:59:01] I am known as the buffer zone

[1:59:04] for the mine.

[1:59:06] i have tried to get answers,

[1:59:09] I've tried to get truth.

[1:59:12] And it's just been impossible.

[1:59:16] I work for ten years in the real

[1:59:19] estate sector so common sense

[1:59:21] tells you a lot of what's going

[1:59:23] on in our neighborhood. And my

[1:59:26] question to you tonight is why

[1:59:28] should gaston county allow

[1:59:30] piedmont lithium to come in to

[1:59:32] our neighborhood and financially

[1:59:35] devastate us and leave some

[1:59:36] families to be homeless or to

[1:59:40] live with poisons and dangers

[1:59:42] that are associated with this

[1:59:43] mine?

[1:59:45] My house is within walking

[1:59:47] distance of where I'm told the

[1:59:48] mine will end.

[1:59:53] I can see 133 adder holt road

[1:59:54] from my yard.

[1:59:57] Why should I be financially deaf

[1:59:58] stated so they can make --

[1:59:59] devastated so they can make

[2:00:02] billions of dollars?

[2:00:03] Thank you.

[2:00:08] >>chair: thank you, ma'am.

[2:00:10] >> good evening, I'm brian

[2:00:15] harper, live in 1953 church

[2:00:15] road.

[2:00:17] Thank you for the opportunity to

[2:00:17] speak.

[2:00:18] Piedmont says there will be no

[2:00:20] damage to homes and businesses

[2:00:21] from their blasting, yet, they

[2:00:24] have contacted or hired multiple

[2:00:25] businesses, everyone out of

[2:00:26] state to looking into the

[2:00:28] blasting operations, how can

[2:00:29] piedmont say there's no danger

[2:00:32] to homes, businesses and the

[2:00:34] environment when they do not

[2:00:36] know who or how the blasting

[2:00:39] will be done, you cannot know

[2:00:41] how far the shock waves will

[2:00:42] reach if the size of the blast

[2:00:43] is not known.

[2:00:45] Will piedmont tell us tonight

[2:00:46] the type and amount of

[2:00:48] explosives they will be using?

[2:00:50] and if not, then they can cannot

[2:00:51] say what damage will be caused

[2:00:54] to the wells, homes, businesses,

[2:00:57] and the environment.

[2:00:59] Also, piedmont has told the

[2:01:01] north carolina mining

[2:01:02] commission, lit monitor itself

[2:01:03] to ensure that it does not

[2:01:07] violate any environmental laws.

[2:01:09] Piedmont also says it will

[2:01:11] report itself of any violations.

[2:01:14] For years, piedmont has been

[2:01:15] violating county laws by

[2:01:20] allowing the erosion into the

[2:01:23] beaver dam creek from logging

[2:01:24] and -- that piedmont has

[2:01:25] created.

[2:01:27] If piedmont will not monitor and

[2:01:29] report itself on something as

[2:01:30] simple as erosion, why should we

[2:01:32] believe them to do so with

[2:01:34] chemicals going into the soil?

[2:01:36] Also, can you imagine any other

[2:01:38] mining or chemical producer not

[2:01:40] being monitored?

[2:01:42] Do you think that government

[2:01:44] does not monitor other similar

[2:01:47] industries such as fracking?

[2:01:49] Piedmont must pay gaston county

[2:01:51] for independent expert

[2:01:53] monitoring which will report

[2:01:54] directly to the county on at

[2:01:58] least a quarterly basis.

[2:01:59] And I will say that my

[2:02:02] statements are not followed by a

[2:02:04] disclaimer of forward looking

[2:02:08] statements.

[2:02:16] Thank you.

[2:02:18] >> wells will go dry, we just

[2:02:22] don't know how far out.

[2:02:25] This lady said tonight that

[2:02:26] piedmont lithium will look at it

[2:02:26] and piedmont lithium will decide

[2:02:29] what they're going to do.

[2:02:31] Here's some problems.

[2:02:34] Gaston county has a minimal

[2:02:35] housing code.

[2:02:37] It requires operable plumbing.

[2:02:40] The minute that well goes dry,

[2:02:42] the people in that house are in

[2:02:45] violation of the minimum housing

[2:02:45] code.

[2:02:48] That then jeopardizes their

[2:02:49] homeowner's policy.

[2:02:52] And when your homeowner's policy

[2:02:55] is cancel, you get foreclosed

[2:02:56] on.

[2:02:57] They will be deciding, it's

[2:02:58] taken go years and we have no

[2:03:00] answers for anything, we have no

[2:03:02] new answers tonight.

[2:03:05] They'll be deciding the fate of

[2:03:06] these folks.

[2:03:10] While they're in value

[2:03:11] iolation.

[2:03:11] I would like the answers to

[2:03:13] these questions.

[2:03:15] One, how do you wash your hair

[2:03:16] with bottled water?

[2:03:19] I mean, do you carry a case --

[2:03:20] while they're decide, they're

[2:03:22] going to give them bottled

[2:03:23] water, might bring a tanker in,

[2:03:24] how are you going to hook that

[2:03:27] up to the water line?

[2:03:29] Some of these houses you

[2:03:31] couldn't in there with a tanger,

[2:03:33] carry a case in there and

[2:03:35] halfway through, tripping over,

[2:03:37] how are you going to do it while

[2:03:38] they're deciding?

[2:03:43] How are you going to wash

[2:03:43] clothes

[2:03:44] clothes?

[2:03:44] Think about it.

[2:03:46] You're going to have stand in

[2:03:47] front of the washer and wait for

[2:03:48] the rinse cycle and then you're

[2:03:50] going to have to pour another

[2:03:52] case of bottled water in there,

[2:03:54] this is while they're deciding.

[2:03:56] I would like them to come up and

[2:04:00] explain how does a 7-year-old

[2:04:03] use bottled water to flush the

[2:04:04] toilet?

[2:04:06] These are things, they're going

[2:04:07] to be just debating.

[2:04:11] Whether to put you a new well

[2:04:13] in, debating and to run water, a

[2:04:17] water line, that's two years.

[2:04:18] it's been two years now, we have

[2:04:20] no idea, you have to noe idea

[2:04:22] where they want to run a water

[2:04:22] line.

[2:04:24] At least I've never seen any

[2:04:28] plans showing the water line.

[2:04:30] Two years people are out there,

[2:04:33] going to have a tanker parked on

[2:04:35] top of the septic line?

[2:04:37] No, this whole thing with the

[2:04:40] water is jeopardizing these

[2:04:42] folks and many others, it will

[2:04:46] happen, and these will be the

[2:04:46] losers.

[2:04:57] Thank you very much.

[2:05:00] >> bessemer city, I thank you

[2:05:01] for allowing me this moment to

[2:05:03] speak today, I do have

[2:05:05] questions, it does appear that

[2:05:06] the project scope shape and size

[2:05:10] has substantially changed from

[2:05:11] 2021 to now.

[2:05:14] My first question would be:

[2:05:17] given these changes, what

[2:05:20] regulatory permits have either

[2:05:21] have been amended or are

[2:05:24] required to be added to reflect

[2:05:26] these changes.

[2:05:27] How has the public been kept

[2:05:30] abreast and then allowed the

[2:05:31] availability to be able to

[2:05:33] comment on these permits?

[2:05:36] My second question will address

[2:05:37] what is considered a dead spot

[2:05:39] in the county currently?

[2:05:41] The area that the project is

[2:05:43] proposed to be in is kind of a

[2:05:45] geographically isolated area

[2:05:46] when it comes to cell phones and

[2:05:48] internet usage.

[2:05:51] We have spotty, very unstable

[2:05:54] cell phone capability.

[2:05:56] Pretty much nonexistent

[2:05:58] broadband internet.

[2:06:01] GOD forbid if this project does

[2:06:05] get underway, and the citizens

[2:06:07] who are stuck living around it,

[2:06:09] and the potential employees of

[2:06:13] this company, will be at

[2:06:15] immediate risk if there is not

[2:06:17] something put in place prior to

[2:06:20] any groundbreaking that

[2:06:23] establishes a stable, stable,

[2:06:26] stable cell phone signal and

[2:06:27] internet, communication cannot

[2:06:29] be cut off from anyone in that

[2:06:29] area.

[2:06:32] Mining is a dangerous business.

[2:06:33] I think that's very well known

[2:06:36] from everyone in this room.

[2:06:37] Not that we're wishing anything

[2:06:39] would happen, but for public

[2:06:40] safety, those things need to be

[2:06:41] in place.

[2:06:43] You can have emergency services

[2:06:45] sitting next door.

[2:06:46] That are absolutely useless if

[2:06:50] no one can call for help.

[2:06:54] My next question will be: in

[2:06:57] the air quality permit and the

[2:06:58] psd application submitted by

[2:07:00] piedmont, piedmont states that

[2:07:02] they were required to notify

[2:07:04] agricultural producers their

[2:07:07] emissions would affect crop

[2:07:08] yields.

[2:07:09] What crops will this affect, how

[2:07:12] will it affect them?

[2:07:14] And exactly how are you planning

[2:07:16] to notify the agricultural

[2:07:17] community?

[2:07:24] Thank you.

[2:07:25] >>chair: since you're a minor,

[2:07:26] you don't are to give your

[2:07:28] address on that, I have you

[2:07:28] already here, okay.

[2:07:29] >> all right.

[2:07:29] >>chair: thank you.

[2:07:32] >> my name is bryson lynn hart,

[2:07:33] I live on white side road in

[2:07:35] gaston county, the closest house

[2:07:37] to this proposed mine.

[2:07:39] I'm 15 years old.

[2:07:42] I spend the majority of my time

[2:07:44] outside, hunting, fishing,

[2:07:45] camping anything that ki enjoy

[2:07:47] in the fresh air, I don't think

[2:07:48] it's fair that my little sister

[2:07:50] and I have to worry about the

[2:07:51] creek we play in, will be

[2:07:54] polluted by hazardous chemicals

[2:07:56] or even be able to catch fish

[2:07:57] safely anymore?

[2:07:59] Will we be forced to stay inside

[2:08:00] in front of a screen because of

[2:08:02] the blasting noise and dust?

[2:08:05] How much of the woods around my

[2:08:08] house will I be able to enjoy

[2:08:10] because of the instruction from

[2:08:12] piedmont lithium?

[2:08:13] Piedmont lithium, the

[2:08:14] destruction piedmont lithium is

[2:08:24] trying to bring to my home.

[2:08:27] >> my name is jessica lynn

[2:08:29] heart, 115 -- in yous.

[2:08:32] And I have a lot here and I'm

[2:08:34] going try to get through all of

[2:08:34] it.

[2:08:36] Piedmont lithium an

[2:08:38] inexperienced exploratory

[2:08:41] company holding 3, -- five square

[2:08:42] miles of residently zoned

[2:08:43] property.

[2:08:46] Their end goal is the lithium

[2:08:47] hydroxide plant with an

[2:08:49] operating life of around 30

[2:08:51] years and deep mining pits

[2:08:53] operating for as we know now

[2:08:55] about 11 years APRIL of last

[2:08:56] year.

[2:08:58] According to their mining permit

[2:08:59] applications submitted two years

[2:09:01] ago, the estimated their water

[2:09:04] usage to be between 800 and

[2:09:10] 28,000 and 3 million 312,000

[2:09:12] gallons per day just for pit

[2:09:13] dewatering, when asked by the

[2:09:14] mining commission for

[2:09:15] clarification on the mitigation

[2:09:17] plan for residential locations

[2:09:18] and proximity to the mine.

[2:09:20] They state that it can take up

[2:09:22] to 45 days for them to drill a

[2:09:25] new will well or connected to a

[2:09:26] municipal water supply, how can

[2:09:28] you drill a well in 45 days if

[2:09:31] all of the local wells have run

[2:09:32] dry?

[2:09:34] What happens if they drag fair

[2:09:35] feet just like they have done

[2:09:35] with everything else they have

[2:09:37] been asked to do?

[2:09:38] Hooking to the water supply will

[2:09:39] take years.

[2:09:40] It's already been two years and

[2:09:43] they do not even have a fully

[2:09:45] implemented plan for obtaining

[2:09:45] water.

[2:09:47] City water would be yet another

[2:09:48] monthly burden that residents

[2:09:50] MAY have no choice in paying

[2:09:51] for.

[2:09:52] As piedmont has also stated in

[2:09:52] their application that they

[2:09:54] would not be paying our monthly

[2:09:55] water bills.

[2:09:57] Despite the fact that it will be

[2:09:59] directly caused by their

[2:10:00] operation.

[2:10:01] The proposed plan for the water

[2:10:03] lines according to their mining

[2:10:06] application will take up to 30

[2:10:06] months to complete.

[2:10:08] When piedmont was asked about

[2:10:10] arsenic in the water, they

[2:10:11] responded they do not use

[2:10:12] arsenic in mining.

[2:10:15] That answer is deliberately

[2:10:16] designed to mislead.

[2:10:18] Arsenic will leach in greater

[2:10:19] amounts into the water in the

[2:10:21] pits because of the mine.

[2:10:22] If piedmont truly does not

[2:10:24] believe that this is a common

[2:10:26] occurrence, I invite any of

[2:10:28] their employees to go over to

[2:10:30] bessemer city and drink a glass

[2:10:32] of water out of the open pit.

[2:10:34] For the chemical plant, do you

[2:10:36] know a website lithium hydroxide

[2:10:38] both powered and solution forms,

[2:10:41] as a toxic and flammable

[2:10:42] substance, please remember they

[2:10:43] want to build this facility

[2:10:45] neighboring a school and a

[2:10:47] daycare.

[2:10:48] Piedmont lithium and the direct

[2:10:49] quote says that in the future,

[2:10:51] our property could be used for

[2:10:52] future manufacturing

[2:10:55] developments, parks, trails,

[2:10:57] greenways, recreation areas,

[2:10:58] commercial developments and

[2:11:00] solar developments.

[2:11:02] Noticeably missing are family

[2:11:04] homes, residents and rural

[2:11:04] farming.

[2:11:05] Because they know that the land

[2:11:07] will be unfit for habitation.

[2:11:11] For hundreds of years, moving

[2:11:11] forward.

[2:11:13] Instead of the beautiful

[2:11:14] pastoral views of life

[2:11:15] sustaining crops that we now

[2:11:17] have, we are left with man made

[2:11:19] and filled craters.

[2:11:21] Per their application, a toxic

[2:11:24] leak of arsenic unfused unusable

[2:11:26] water and piles of waste rock.

[2:11:28] How does any of this in another

[2:11:29] direct quote, focus on the

[2:11:31] safety, health and well-being of

[2:11:32] the community?

[2:11:34] Seems to me that their focus on

[2:11:36] the safety, health and

[2:11:45] well-being of their paychecks.

[2:11:48] >>chair: to follow.

[2:11:53] >> I'm tim lynn hart, 115 -- I

[2:11:55] would like to start today by

[2:11:57] asking when will piedmont begin

[2:11:59] telling the truth about where

[2:12:02] the wells are around the

[2:12:03] properties?

[2:12:05] And where the closest neighbors

[2:12:09] are?

[2:12:09] Since they have done -- hold on,

[2:12:10] I'll just go with my thing.

[2:12:11] The current map says neither

[2:12:14] correct, two years ago, piedmont

[2:12:17] presented maps claiming all of

[2:12:19] the wells that neighboring land

[2:12:21] owners when shown that the maps

[2:12:26] were from around 1972, they came

[2:12:29] back and claimed that the map --

[2:12:32] came back with another map from

[2:12:33] 2005.

[2:12:36] My calculations, from now to

[2:12:38] then, is 15 years.

[2:12:41] Why do they not have a map for

[2:12:46] now days?

[2:12:49] let's see here.

[2:12:53] I know personally, my will, well

[2:12:56] is very shallow at 50 feet, not

[2:12:58] going to last long.

[2:13:00] And they would know this if they

[2:13:02] would come and talk to the

[2:13:03] people instead of sending

[2:13:06] cookies and saying, hey, come to

[2:13:10] our office.

[2:13:12] If they cannot get their public

[2:13:14] records right, then why should

[2:13:17] we as land owners believe

[2:13:20] anything that they say?

[2:13:22] And I personally believe that

[2:13:24] piedmont lithium does not care

[2:13:25] about the community, they only

[2:13:27] care about the money that they

[2:13:29] will make off of the -- of our

[2:13:30] homes.

[2:13:33] And that's the end of my

[2:13:34] comments.

[2:13:40] >>chair: thank you.

[2:13:43] >> good evening, my name is rich

[2:13:46] -- long shoals road, it's about

[2:13:48] a mile as the crow flies from

[2:13:51] the east pit.

[2:13:53] Piedmont intend to leave behind

[2:13:56] a mound of rock over 280 feet

[2:13:57] high.

[2:13:59] There'll be about three miles

[2:14:00] from cherryville, for how many

[2:14:02] hundreds of years will the

[2:14:04] citizen of gaston county have to

[2:14:06] look at that mess once piedmont

[2:14:09] has taken their money and moved

[2:14:10] away?

[2:14:11] Since the citizens of

[2:14:13] cherryville will be able to see

[2:14:15] it from their homes, will they

[2:14:19] get the naming rights to that

[2:14:21] mountain?

[2:14:25] And piedmont has burned down 30

[2:14:28] homes around me.

[2:14:31] These were homes people lived in

[2:14:33] until piedmont bought them out.

[2:14:35] People could still be living in

[2:14:36] these homes.

[2:14:38] If piedmont had not burned them

[2:14:40] to the ground.

[2:14:42] Piedmont goes to belmont, says

[2:14:45] it will hold -- it will help

[2:14:48] build one habitat house for

[2:14:48] needy family.

[2:14:50] It puts itself in the paper

[2:14:51] about it.

[2:14:53] What about the other 29 families

[2:14:56] with no place to live?

[2:14:58] Piedmont does not care about the

[2:15:02] poor people in gaston county.

[2:15:05] And finally, the air quality

[2:15:06] permit application says that

[2:15:09] piedmont intends to operate 24

[2:15:14] hours a day, 365 days a year.

[2:15:15] Is this true?

[2:15:18] Or is it more of piedmont's not

[2:15:20] caring what they say on forms

[2:15:23] and documents and just filling

[2:15:25] in the blanks.

[2:15:38] Thank you.

[2:15:39] >> so I don't know about the

[2:15:40] rest of my neighbors in the

[2:15:43] room, but I think I have more

[2:15:44] questions that I'm more

[2:15:45] concerned and more confused

[2:15:47] tonight than I was before I got

[2:15:47] here.

[2:15:49] I was hoping to get answers and

[2:15:50] hoping to learn more tonight,

[2:15:51] I'm really struggling because

[2:15:53] I've got so many questions that

[2:15:54] are unanswered.

[2:15:56] But let me go ahead and

[2:15:58] introduce mice, the

[2:15:59] commissioners, council staff,

[2:16:01] warren snowden, we own property

[2:16:04] at 611 adder holt road so we are

[2:16:07] -- we share over 8,000 linear

[2:16:08] feet of property line with

[2:16:09] piedmont lithium, we're not

[2:16:12] thousands of feet away, we are

[2:16:13] ground zero.

[2:16:17] We share property lines.

[2:16:18] We've not heard from piedmont

[2:16:20] lithium in over two years, so I

[2:16:22] don't know if they don't care, I

[2:16:22] don't know if they're not

[2:16:23] concerned about us.

[2:16:26] But I know that all of the

[2:16:28] reports by hdr refer to us as

[2:16:31] the tree farm buffer to the

[2:16:31] east.

[2:16:35] And so I come before you this

[2:16:35] evening

[2:16:37] evening, only having received a

[2:16:39] bag of -- box of cookies and a

[2:16:39] bag of coffee.

[2:16:41] And I would suggest to you, if

[2:16:42] they really knew who their

[2:16:43] immediate impacted neighbors

[2:16:45] are, they would know that we

[2:16:47] don't eat cookies.

[2:16:48] We like ice cream!

[2:16:51] We don't drink coffee, we drink

[2:16:52] bourbon.

[2:16:54] We don't -- they don't know us.

[2:16:56] And so it's really frustrating,

[2:16:59] two years later, we're still

[2:17:00] waiting piedmont lithium to tell

[2:17:02] this community how they intend

[2:17:03] to be a good neighbor, how are

[2:17:04] they going to protect the

[2:17:06] citizens, they don't have a

[2:17:10] north carolina mining permit,

[2:17:10] they don't have the proper

[2:17:12] zoning, no psd air permit, no

[2:17:13] site plan approval and years

[2:17:14] away from the having the

[2:17:16] necessary utilities, electric

[2:17:18] and gas to service this site.

[2:17:21] I learned yesterday, they don't

[2:17:24] even have a north carolina

[2:17:24] geological license.

[2:17:26] Let me repeat that.

[2:17:29] How many years have they been in

[2:17:31] our community the north carolina

[2:17:32] geological board does not hold a

[2:17:34] license for piedmont lithium or

[2:17:36] any of its gee

[2:17:37] ologist

[2:17:37] geologists, so

[2:17:39] tonight, I would like to address

[2:17:42] something as simple as dust,

[2:17:43] everyone knows that dust flows

[2:17:44] from the west to the east, with

[2:17:46] rethe immediate neighbors to the

[2:17:46] east.

[2:17:48] We have not been contacted.

[2:17:50] Every time piedmont lithium

[2:17:52] burns a house, they don't warn

[2:17:54] us, we can smell smoke for

[2:17:55] hours.

[2:17:57] It blows from the west to the

[2:17:57] east.

[2:17:59] We have crops, we have trees, we

[2:18:02] have wildlife, we have kids, and

[2:18:03] we have our health.

[2:18:05] And they don't reach out to us.

[2:18:06] And so it's very challenging to

[2:18:09] stand up here this evening.

[2:18:10] When keith phillips spoke two

[2:18:12] years ago in this room to these

[2:18:13] very citizens, he said thingser

[2:18:14] going to be different.

[2:18:16] He said that piedmont lithium

[2:18:18] would be happy to come every

[2:18:20] month and hold informational

[2:18:20] meetings, if needed.

[2:18:23] Two years later, passed, no

[2:18:25] meetings, no answers, and he's

[2:18:29] not even here tonight.

[2:18:32] So in piedmont lithium's MAY

[2:18:34] 2023 presentation, to their

[2:18:35] investors, they said this

[2:18:38] project will be a $456 million

[2:18:42] steady state project with a 27%

[2:18:44] annual return and a short

[2:18:47] project pay back of 3.5 years.

[2:18:49] Pretty lucrative.

[2:18:50] Yet, they continue to cut

[2:18:52] corners wherever they get a

[2:18:52] chance.

[2:18:54] When asked how they were going

[2:18:56] to discharge water from the

[2:18:58] site, they had four options and

[2:19:00] they have chosen the least

[2:19:02] expensive option, but the most

[2:19:06] dangerous for the citizens.

[2:19:07] Why does piedmont lithium

[2:19:09] continue to not provide answers

[2:19:12] and they choose profits over the

[2:19:13] environment?

[2:19:13] Over the community?

[2:19:16] And over our citizens?

[2:19:18] Why does piedmont lithium

[2:19:20] continue to choose not to be a

[2:19:21] good neighbor?

[2:19:23] Why?

[2:19:24] Thank you.

[2:19:28] >>chair: thank you, sir.

[2:19:30] Anyone wishing to speak that did

[2:19:33] not get a chance to speak?

[2:19:35] Yes, sir, please step up now.

[2:19:37] >> motion to accept his

[2:19:38] comments.

[2:19:38] >> second.

[2:19:39] >>chair: motion made by

[2:19:40] commissioner worley, seconded by

[2:19:42] commissioner hovis.

[2:19:43] All in favor?

[2:19:58] It is unanimous, MADAM Clerk.

[2:20:00] >>

[2:20:01] >>.

[2:20:01] >>chair: please state your name

[2:20:04] and address for the record, sir?

[2:20:10] >> bobby at the time -- my

[2:20:12] property board was lock bel's

[2:20:14] property and properties that

[2:20:15] have been sold.

[2:20:17] And there's one thing that MAY

[2:20:19] can stop this mine if this is

[2:20:20] true.

[2:20:22] Supposedly on hastings read

[2:20:26] where it mets hephzibah church

[2:20:27] road, if you look north there's

[2:20:28] a clump of trees and I've been

[2:20:30] told all of my life that that

[2:20:31] indian graveyard.

[2:20:33] If this is so, it needs to be

[2:20:35] checked into by each and every

[2:20:36] one of you.

[2:20:38] We've heard a lot of things

[2:20:41] about how good it is but we've

[2:20:45] not heard some of the bad parts.

[2:20:48] The columbia climate school used

[2:20:51] large amounts of water and

[2:20:53] specifically how much water was

[2:20:56] used to water per ton.

[2:20:59] Related pollution potential

[2:21:01] increase in carbon dioxide,

[2:21:04] mineral waste, increased

[2:21:09] respiratory problems, alternate

[2:21:12] high

[2:21:14] ydrology that messes with the

[2:21:15] water and the atmosphere also,

[2:21:17] and the atmospheric system.

[2:21:22] The concentration of lithium

[2:21:24] reduced or completely inhibit

[2:21:27] growth, causes necrosis on older

[2:21:29] leaves on the trees, reduces

[2:21:31] chlorophyll, which reduces plant

[2:21:34] shoot and root biomass, causes

[2:21:35] less purified oxygen to breathe.

[2:21:40] And all of the trees, know what

[2:21:41] trees do.

[2:21:44] The necrosis is a scientific

[2:21:46] term for the death of the plant

[2:21:49] tissues, in other words it kills

[2:21:51] the trees.

[2:21:52] Old enough to remember bessemer

[2:21:54] city when all of the tree was

[2:21:55] dead around there, they said it

[2:21:57] wasn't the mine, well, it wasn't

[2:21:58] beetles because we didn't have

[2:21:59] beetles then.

[2:22:01] You see what is coming out.

[2:22:03] And every time mined from what I

[2:22:05] understand, if this is correct,

[2:22:06] there's 15 tons of co2.

[2:22:09] Now, I stand to be corrected by

[2:22:10] you.

[2:22:13] That is admitted to the air.

[2:22:16] What's co2, is it good for you?

[2:22:18] No, MAY include headache,

[2:22:19] dizziness, pains and needles

[2:22:21] feeling breathing, problems,

[2:22:24] sweating increased heart rate,

[2:22:26] high blood pressure, coma,

[2:22:28] asphyxia and convulsions,

[2:22:31] displaces normal oxygen in the

[2:22:33] breathing air.

[2:22:35] Now, this could not be correct.

[2:22:38] But it says 400 to 2 million

[2:22:44] liters of water per kill lo of

[2:22:44] ton.

[2:22:46] I stand to be corrected.

[2:22:50] Where's the slurry going?

[2:22:54] Our water treatment plants can't

[2:22:58] con tall all of this surry.

[2:23:00] Causes damage to local

[2:23:00] ecosystems, and the army corps

[2:23:02] of engineers and y'all probably

[2:23:04] stop me o on this, the army

[2:23:07] corps of engineers say it won't

[2:23:10] harm the water supplies, well,

[2:23:12] they're government affiliated

[2:23:12] and the government out of

[2:23:14] washington lies every day.

[2:23:18] And that's a fact.

[2:23:22] The chile's solar ra mine caused

[2:23:27] the region to lose 65% of that

[2:23:29] region's water.

[2:23:30] Chile has the world's largest

[2:23:34] right lithium reserves.

[2:23:37] Air contamination to the water

[2:23:43] and the soil.

[2:23:48] -- toxicity of lithium is poor

[2:23:49] concentrations and diarrhea.

[2:23:50] From what I understand, else

[2:23:54] about it, this dust, now, don't

[2:23:55] correct me on this if I'm wrong,

[2:23:57] this dust escapes to the

[2:23:59] atmosphere it's explosive.

[2:24:00] And if there's enough moisture

[2:24:04] in the air, and humidity,

[2:24:05] there's a possibility that it

[2:24:05] can explode, as I said, y'all

[2:24:06] can correct me on these matter,

[2:24:07] that's all I've got, thank you

[2:24:09] for letting me have my time.

[2:24:10] >>chair: thank you, sir.

[2:24:11] >> but I would like to talk

[2:24:13] about the indian graveyard.

[2:24:15] >>chair: yesterday

[2:24:15] , sir.

[2:24:17] What we will do, for everyone's

[2:24:18] knowledge, I'm going to ask

[2:24:19] piedmont lithium, if you would

[2:24:20] like to rebut anything that you

[2:24:22] guys have heard?

[2:24:23] Give you that opportunity, but

[2:24:25] what we would like to do, we'll

[2:24:26] have once we get all of the

[2:24:27] questions that were asked, from

[2:24:29] the clerk's office, we'll have

[2:24:31] our staff send them to you guys

[2:24:33] and you can do it that way and

[2:24:34] we can post that and we'll send

[2:24:36] it out because we have the

[2:24:37] record of how they signed up for

[2:24:39] their questions, that way, we

[2:24:41] want to make it as transparent,

[2:24:43] if that's okay?

[2:24:43] >> yes.

[2:24:45] >>chair: make sure you're okay,

[2:24:46] first, because I've got to make

[2:24:47] sure you're good, would you care

[2:24:49] to rebut tonight, anything that

[2:24:51] you heard or talk or you would

[2:24:53] rather take it as it's up to you

[2:24:54] guys, usually we don't do this,

[2:24:55] but I want to make sure that

[2:24:57] everybody is on the table for

[2:24:58] what we need.

[2:24:59] >> certainly appreciate the

[2:24:59] offer.

[2:25:03] I think it would be best to not

[2:25:05] come back can rebut, very happy

[2:25:06] to answer the questions and have

[2:25:07] that be part of the public

[2:25:08] record.

[2:25:10] >>chair: what we'll do, just

[2:25:12] for everybody's forsake, if

[2:25:13] that's okay.

[2:25:15] We'll have -- once we get the

[2:25:17] tape, but the questions back in,

[2:25:18] send them to you this week,

[2:25:21] we'll get it by -- give me date

[2:25:22] there, esquire.

[2:25:23] Look down at what you have on

[2:25:26] your phone, what's that date on

[2:25:26] there?

[2:25:28] Next thursday?

[2:25:30] >> next thursday.

[2:25:31] 17th.

[2:25:33] >>chair: 17th, we'll have those

[2:25:34] to you guys, if you can have

[2:25:36] them back in ten days that, will

[2:25:36] be the 27th.

[2:25:37] And if that's okay?

[2:25:39] If that sounds good enough.

[2:25:41] That way we can post that, we'll

[2:25:43] send it -- make sure that if

[2:25:45] you're on this list, adam, can

[2:25:46] you just put a list over there,

[2:25:48] of anybody who spoke tonight,

[2:25:49] put your e-mail down, you'll

[2:25:50] have them directly to you.

[2:25:53] And we'll work on that.

[2:25:54] Because what we want to do is

[2:25:57] make sure transparency is

[2:25:58] covered through everything we

[2:25:58] have.

[2:26:05] That way, bill, you and tom can

[2:26:20] get with him and that way y'all

[2:26:20] can kind of put together some

[2:26:20] back and forth, I don't want to

[2:26:20] put anybody on the spot, but I

[2:26:20] want to make sure that we don't

[2:26:20] run from anything.

[2:26:20] But I want to thank you guys for

[2:26:21] coming.

[2:26:21] Like I said, it's a tough --

[2:26:21] it's a tough -- you knew that

[2:26:23] when you come in here.

[2:26:24] For folks in gaston county, our

[2:26:25] job as commissioners, we're

[2:26:27] going to make sure that we ask

[2:26:28] the questions that you want

[2:26:31] answered, you guys call, like I

[2:26:32] said, somebody called me the

[2:26:34] other morning at 5:00, it's

[2:26:35] okay, I don't mind.

[2:26:37] But we're going to listen.

[2:26:38] And I'm proud of the staff that

[2:26:40] we have, provided what you guys

[2:26:41] have done, but also I want to

[2:26:43] thank the board, for putting up

[2:26:46] with a lot that goes on with

[2:26:50] this, because it is a -- it's

[2:26:51] tiresome, but also intense but

[2:26:52] also has a lot of purpose.

[2:26:54] And you guys have to understand

[2:26:55] what they want.

[2:26:57] And it's what's best for what

[2:26:58] they have been doing for their

[2:27:00] whole lives and you guys know

[2:27:01] how it is when somebody comes in

[2:27:03] and intrudes on you, it's kind

[2:27:04] of different, you know, so we

[2:27:05] want to make sure we're

[2:27:06] respectful for everybody.

[2:27:07] And what we do.

[2:27:09] I want to thank you guys tonight

[2:27:11] for being respectful with each

[2:27:12] other.

[2:27:14] This is -- this is a hard time.

[2:27:15] But we're going to get it right

[2:27:16] and we're going to make it

[2:27:18] happen and make sure that we

[2:27:20] work hard to answer all of the

[2:27:21] questions that we have because

[2:27:23] we're going to keep firing them

[2:27:23] at you.

[2:27:26] And that way you guys, thank you

[2:27:30] for what's going on, you're good

[2:27:32] with where we are so far?

[2:27:32] Okay, good.

[2:27:34] Are there any other matters that

[2:27:36] need to come before this board

[2:27:37] at this time?

[2:27:40] >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I have another

[2:27:40] matter.

[2:27:41] >>chair: yes, sir.

[2:27:47] >> this matter concerns the fee

[2:27:50] of schedule for the new south

[2:27:53] point park in the south point

[2:27:55] township, the park that we

[2:27:56] approved the lease agreement

[2:27:58] duke energy, there's a fee

[2:28:00] schedule that has been proposed

[2:28:02] and I would like to discuss that

[2:28:02] fee schedule.

[2:28:04] >>chair: what I would like to

[2:28:08] do, if it's pertinent, do you

[2:28:10] have a problem if we delay that

[2:28:12] to in next meet, I want to make

[2:28:14] sure that everyone gets the same

[2:28:15] fee schedule.

[2:28:16] >> we table the fee schedule

[2:28:18] until such time as we can

[2:28:20] discuss it further.

[2:28:21] >>chair: --

[2:28:23] >> it's not in place now

[2:28:25] currently anyway, but there's

[2:28:27] nobody -- nobody charging a fee,

[2:28:27] but I want to see --

[2:28:29] >>chair: we can change it as we

[2:28:29] go forward.

[2:28:32] >> well, my main concern is,

[2:28:34] there's no other park in gaston

[2:28:37] county, that you pay to drive in

[2:28:38] and park.

[2:28:40] And the concern has been brought

[2:28:42] from many residents, that they

[2:28:43] feel like that if they would

[2:28:45] like to go to this park, and sit

[2:28:47] on a picnic table, and eat their

[2:28:49] lunch, during their lunch break

[2:28:50] and look at the nature and the

[2:28:52] lake, that they shouldn't be

[2:28:54] charged a $7 fee to get in to

[2:28:56] that park to do that.

[2:28:59] So that's the part that I'm

[2:29:00] concerned about.

[2:29:02] That any north belmont park, any

[2:29:04] of those parks, and sit down at

[2:29:07] a table and eat your lunch for

[2:29:09] an hour, but in this particular

[2:29:11] park, we're proposing a $7 fee

[2:29:12] and I just don't think that's

[2:29:13] reasonable to do that.

[2:29:17] So I find that we bring it up at

[2:29:19] a later time.

[2:29:19] >>chair:

[2:29:20] >> that's my concern.

[2:29:22] >>chair: can we table it the

[2:29:23] next meeting because that's our

[2:29:24] voting meeting.

[2:29:26] >> we can have it for discussion

[2:29:27] at that meeting.

[2:29:28] >>chair: we could do that, but

[2:29:30] I didn't want to have a vote or

[2:29:30] anything.

[2:29:31] >> I would like feedback from

[2:29:34] the staff to discuss what fees

[2:29:36] should be applicable but what

[2:29:39] should not be a fee for a

[2:29:41] citizen to have as I said just

[2:29:44] go and enjoy their lunch at a

[2:29:46] picnic table in one of our parks

[2:29:48] and that's right now what's

[2:29:50] proposed, we would charge people

[2:29:54] $7 and under this -- that's not

[2:29:54] reasonable.

[2:29:55] >>chair: DR. Eagle.

[2:29:55] >>manager: we've heard some of

[2:29:57] that concern, commissioner

[2:29:59] worley, and started some

[2:30:00] conversations internally about

[2:30:02] some options for you all to talk

[2:30:02] about.

[2:30:04] This park is a bit different

[2:30:06] because of the beach access.

[2:30:07] But we understand the concern

[2:30:10] and the need to differentiate.

[2:30:13] And are already working towards

[2:30:14] that discussion for the next

[2:30:14] meeting.

[2:30:16] >> that would be perfect.

[2:30:17] >>chair: get that to everyone

[2:30:18] and we'll add that to the

[2:30:20] agenda, MADAM Clerk for

[2:30:22] discussion.

[2:30:26] On the tuesday of next.

[2:30:28] Any other matters coming before

[2:30:30] the board?

[2:30:34] Well, I have one.

[2:30:36] Our esteem ed

[2:30:39] ed assistant county

[2:30:41] manager turned yesterday,

[2:30:42] vincent stand up.

[2:30:45] If y'all don't no vincent wong,

[2:30:47] if it's wong, I don't want to be

[2:30:47] right.

[2:30:51] Put his picture up there, 40th

[2:30:53] birthday, if y'all don't know,

[2:30:54] vincent works very hard for us

[2:30:55] and we poke fun, look at that

[2:30:57] picture of him and brian

[2:30:59] together, making -- if you don't

[2:31:00] know, they have the same shirt

[2:31:00] on.

[2:31:01] On the same day.

[2:31:02] So very good.

[2:31:03] But no, thank you.

[2:31:05] Vincent, thank you guys for what

[2:31:07] you do and brian, and tom, thank

[2:31:09] you guys for working diligently.

[2:31:12] Donny, congratulations, thank

[2:31:12] you for that.

[2:31:13] Many of our directors are here,

[2:31:15] thank you guys for the tireless

[2:31:17] work that you do, and being that

[2:31:20] way, but with that, this

[2:31:21] concludes our work session for

[2:31:23] tonighter our next regular

[2:31:26] meeting is tuesday AUGUST 22nd

[2:31:28] at 6:00 P.M. Here at the harl by

[2:31:30] b. Gaston public forum, thank

[2:31:32] you for watching, if you have

[2:31:34] questions, please send your

[2:31:37] comments or questions to donna

[2:31:41] s. Buff at 704-866-3196.

[2:31:43] Good night, wonger.

2023-08-08 6:00 PM - Work Session (Non-Voting)

Agenda

Transcript