In North Carolina, residents of Stanley showed up at a special Town Council meeting to push the council to reject a proposed $45 million biofuel plant to be built on vacant land. The plant was to be built by Walyak Energy, which said the biofuel plant would help increase the town’s tax base, bring more than 100 construction jobs and more than 30 permanent jobs to the town. However, the residents were concerned about the noise, odor, and potential explosions at the facility. All five council members voted against the proposal.
“It’s hard to say ‘no’ to that type of investment, but it simply wasn’t the right fit for our town,” Councilman Danny Sparrow told the Gaston Gazette. “Just about all the feedback we received from town residents was negative. We don’t want to send the wrong message. Stanley is open to industry and to investment, but it has to be a good fit for us.”