MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 28, 2011
New Hill, NC–The New Hill Community Association has settled its litigation against the Western Wake Partners over their decision to site a wastewater treatment facility in their community. Represented for the past two years by the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, the Association received $500,000 to build a community center, a long-held goal of New Hill residents.
“During the course of our efforts, our community has come together as never before with neighbors becoming friends,” said Rev. James Clanton, Pastor of the First Baptist Church New Hill. Rev. Clanton, who serves as New Hill Community Association Secretary and was recently awarded the Florenza Moore Grant Community Environmental Justice Award, continued, “These efforts will help mitigate impacts to our community.”
The Partners will also connect the community center to the new wastewater treatment facility free of charge as well as constructing two bus stops for community children as part of the settlement.
The Partners had already agreed to hook up individuals living closest to the facility to water and sewer, improving upon their original plans by clarifying they would handle all expenses and pay directly to water and sewer contractors instead of requiring residents to wait for reimbursements.
SCSJ staff attorney Chris Brook echoed Rev. Clanton’s sentiments saying, “SCSJ was proud to work with NHCA in their quest for environmental justice and know the settlement represents a huge step to realizing the New Hill community’s goals.”
Contact:
Chris Brook, attorney
Southern Coalition for Social Justice
(919) 323-3380 Chris@SouthernCoaltion.org
Paul Barth
President, New Hill Community Association
(919) 539-8736
