Claremore Acres Subdivision

Southend Targeted to be the Next Rubbertown

What in the World is Metro Gov. Planning for the Southend?

THE RESIDENTS OF CLAREMORE ACRE'S AND SOUTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY ARE GATHERED HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS MAVERICK TUBE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE HEAVY INDUSTRY MOVING INTO OUR COMMUNITY. ARE WE GOING TO BECOME THE NEXT RUBBERTOWN?

AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE CONSTITUTION: STATES ARE TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELFARE OF THEIR CITIZENS.

ALSO, AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE FIFTH AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION: NO ONE MAY BE DENIED LIFE, LIBERTY, OR PROPERTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW.

WHY THEN IS OUR METRO AND STATE GOVERNMENT FORCING THE RESIDENTS OF CLAREMORE ACRES TO DEAL WITH THIS STEEL PLANT 200FT FROM THEIR HOMES. THIS COMPANY WILL EMIT HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS WHICH WILL ENDANGER THE HEALTH OF MY FAMILY AND MY NEIGHBORS; AND DEPRECIATE OUR PROPERTY VALUES.

IN THE SATURDAY JAN. 22, 2005 COURIER JOURNAL ARTICLE CONCERNING THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP FOR GREATER LOUISVILLE, MAYOR ABRAMSON IS QUOTED AS SAYING "(QUOTE) " OWNING A HOME IS STILL THE SUREST PATH TO BUILDING PERSONAL WEALTH."

WELL MAYOR I ASK YOU, WHY DO WE,THE NEIGHBORS OF CLAREMORE ACRES HAVE TO TAKE A HIT ON OUR PROPERTY VALUES AND OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR YOUR NEW STEEL FACTORY?

THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION PROTECTS OUR 5 BASIC FREEDOMS:
FREEDOM OF RELIGION
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
AND FREEDOM TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT

I PLAN TO EXERCISE THOSE FREEDOMS TONIGHT



THESE ARE THE LEADERS WHO APPROVED THE FACTORY IN OUR BACKYARDS

MAYOR JERRY ABRAMSON
GOVERNOR ERNIE FLETCHER
OFFICIALS WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF KY
LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT
GREATER LOUISVILLE INC.,
METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
THE KY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY-WHO APPROVED THE $7.5 MILLION TAX BREAK FOR MAVERICK TUBE
LARRY MCFALL, RIVERPORT AUTHORITY


IN A PRESS RELEASE DATED 12/17/2004 FROM THE KENTUCKY CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GOVERNOR ERNIE FLETCHER SAYS(QUOTE) "I AM THRILLED TO HAVE OBTAINED AN INVESTMENT OF THIS MAGNITUDE FOR LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON CO. THESE NEW JOBS REPRESENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES IN THAT REGION." "I COMMEND THE BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF LOUISVILLE FOR HELPING THE COMMONWEALTH IN OUR PURSUIT FOR MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. TOGETHER, WE TRULY CAN MAKE KENTUCKY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND RAISE CHILDREN." (UNQUOTE)

I ASK YOU GOV. FLETCHER IS HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS BEING PUMPED FROM MAVERICK TUBE , A RAIL SPUR CARRYING HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS LESS THAN 200FT FROM OUR BACK YARDS AND FACTORY OPERATING 24/7 MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE,WORK AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN?

IN THE SAME PRESS RELEASE OUR OWN MAYOR JERRY ABRAMSON SAID(QUOTE)" MAVERICK'S DECISION TO LOCATE HERE DEMONSTRATES LOUISVILLE'S COMPETITIVENESS IN OUR REGION AND EVEN NATIONALLY. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ADDS TO RIVERPORT'S ALREADY ALL-TIME HIGH IN EMPLOYMENT." (UNQUOTE)

IS THE BOTTOM DOLLAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.? BESIDES,IT'S NOT NEW JOBS. THE NEW JOBS TAKEN FROM THE MI. AND GA. MAVERICK PLANT WORKERS.

FROM THE SAME PRESS REPORT STEVE HIGDON, GREATER LOU, INC.'S PRESIDENT SAID (QUOTE) "MAVERICK IS A FISCALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND COMPANY WITH STRONG CORPORATE VALUES. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WELCOMES MAVERICK TO LOUISVILLE." (UNQUOTE).

ENVIROMENTLY SOUND, OH REALLY? THEN WHY IS MAVERICK TUBE THE TOP 6TH POLLUTER IN OAKLAND CO.,MI. ACCORDING TO THE EPA. WE ALSO FOUND NUMEROUS AIR AND WATER VIOLATIONS FROM MAVERICK'S TEXAS PLANTS.

WHEN AND HOW DID THE RESIDENTS OF CLAREMORE ACRE'S FIND OUT WHO OUR NEW NEIGHBOR IS?

WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON NOV. 12 ANNOUNCING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED MAVERICK TUBE PLANT.

WHO WAS NOTIFIED?
ONLY ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOTIFIED, THAT MEANS IF YOUR PROPERTY DOES NOT CONNECT WITH THE PROPOSED PROJECT, OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE NO LEGAL OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY YOU.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPANY?

THERE ARE 21 PLANTS IN 9 CITIES

MAVERICK TURNS STEEL COILS INTO TUBES

HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS WILL BE USED EXTENSIVELY FOR TREATING STEEL

WHAT HOURS WILL IT OPERATE?
7 DAYS A WEEK - 24 HRS. A DAY

50 TRUCKS A DAY EXPECTED

WILL RECEIVE STEEL COILS ON RAIL CARS

WILL THE RAIL SPUR HAUL CHEMICALS?

YES, RIVERPORT'S PRESIDENT,LARRY MCFALL, SAID HE HAS NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THE RAIL LINES HAUL, RAIL
LINES ARE FEDERALLY REGULATED.
(REFER TO COURIER JOURNAL JAN.8 RAIL CAR ACCIDENT
IN SOUTH CAROLINA. A TRAIN COLLIDED WITH A PARKED TRAIN,THE CHLORINE LEAK KILLED 8 PEOPLE AND 5,4OO RESIDENTS HAD TO BE EVACUATED

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO A TRAIN DERAILED RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

HOW MUCH TOXIC POLLUTION WILL IT BRING TO OUR PART OF THE COUNTY (TOXINS AND POUNDS PER YEAR)?
MAVERICKS OWN EMISSION RATE REPORT STATES
191 tons OF POLLUTANTS WILL BE EMITTED A YEAR!!
THAT AMOUNTS TO 1051 LBS A DAY!!! THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE LANDFILL WASTE, FUGITIVE EMISSIONS SUCH AS SPILLS AND LEAKS, OR INCREASES IN PRODUCTIVITY. THESE EMISSIONS COULD AFFECT MANY AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
IT DEPENDS ON THE PREVAILING WINDS ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

WHAT PLAN OF ACTION DO WE HAVE FOR TOXIC SPILLS AND LEAKS, AT THE PLANT OR ON OUR HIGHWAYS?

OUR METRO GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS SO OUR FIREMAN CAN RESPOND TO A HAZARDOUS INCIDENT WITH THE PROPER EQUIPMENT.


OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WENT TO METRO PLANNING(LAND DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE TO STOP MAVERICK TUBE .

WHAT DID WE LEARN:

THIS PROPERTY WAS ZONED EZ -1. THIS MEANT THEY COULD PUT A STEEL FACTORY IN OUR BACKYARDS AND RAIL LINE ,WITHOUT A THOUGHT ABOUT MORALS OR ETHICS OR HOW IT ENDANGERS OUR HEALTH.

WE LEARNED ONLY THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED, LEGALLY ITS ALL THAT'S REQUIRED OF METRO PLANNING , THE RIVERPORT AUTHORITY, AND THE ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEERS. SO, YOUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT A ZONING CHANGE OR HEAVY INDUSTRY ABOUT TO BE THEIR NEW NEIGHBOR.

WE LEARNED MOBILE HOME OWNERS WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED IF THEY DO NOT OWN THE LAND AT THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE.

THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS , ADVOCATE GROUPS,CONCERNED CITIZENS THAT VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO GUIDE US THROUGH THIS.
SCAN -SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY ASSOC. OF NEIGHBORHOODS
REACT- RUBBERTOWN EMERGENCY ACTION
YOU WILL WANT TO KNOW THESE GROUPS IF THE SOUTH WEST PART OF THE COUNTY IS BEING TARGETED FOR HEAVY INDUSTRY LIKE WE BELIEVE IS HAPPENING NOW

LAWS PROTECTING OUR WETLANDS FROM BEING DESTROYED ARE NOT WORTH THE PAPER THEY ARE WRITTEN ON.

A PUBLIC NOTICE STATED RIVERPORTS ARMY CORP. PERMIT EXPIRED LAST SUMMER, YET, THEY COULD STILL LEGALLY TEAR DOWN EVERY TREE AND DID,EXCEPT A SMALL AREA DESIGNATED WETLAND, WHICH COULD ALSO BE DESTROYED WHEN THE PERMIT IS RENEWED.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES WE REQUESTED WERE NOT COMPLETE, EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID BY ALL PARTIES WAS NOT IN THE REPORT.

WE THOUGHT WE'LL CONTACT OUR MAYOR HE'LL HELP.!WRONG.. HE HASN'T TALKED TO ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS OR RESPONDED TO HIS INVITATION TO THIS RALLY.

WE THOUGHT OUR APCD, OF METRO LOU. WON'T LET A INDUSTRY THAT WAS THE TOP 6TH TOXIC POLLUTER IN OAKLAND CO., MI. 2002, LOCATE 200FT FROM OUR BACKYARDS. WE WERE WRONG.THE APCD DOES NOT LEGALLY HAVE TO LOOK INTO AN INDUSTRY'S ENVIROMENTAL PAST, OUR APCD JUST GIVES THE KEY TO OUR CITY TO THESE TOXIC POLLUTERS.


THE INSTALLATION OF MAVERICK STEEL HAS CAUSED HOMES AROUND THE PLANT TO LOSE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN PROPERTY VALUE WE CAN NEVER RECOUPE.

WE LEARNED, NEVER BELEIVE WHAT A LAND DEVELOPER TELLS YOU. LEARN THE ZONING CODES. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. REMEMBER THEY ARE AFTER THE MONEY THIS PROJECT WILL PRODUCE FOR THEM, THEY WILL TELL YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT TO HEAR TO GET THE ZONING APPROVED. WE WERE TOLD BY LARRY MCFALL, RIVERPORT'S PRESIDENT,IN 2OOO THERE WOULD BE DISTRIBUTION AND WAREHOUSES.

I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE EZ1 WRITTEN ANYWHERE IN THE PLANS HE SHOWED US, IF I HAD I WOULDN'T OF KNOWN WHAT IT MEANT ANYWAY. NOW OUR FAMILY HAS A 430,680 SQ. FT STEEL MANUFACTURING PLANT AND A RAIL LINE IN OUR BACKYARDS. WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE ON EXTREMELY SHORT NOTICE, OUR HOME, OUR BIGGEST ASSET, DEPRECIATED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN VALUE THE MOMENT THE FIRST TREE WAS KNOCKED DOWN, TO MAKE ROOM FOR MY NEW NEIGHBOR, MAVERICK STEEL.

THE CURRENT TREND IN METRO GOVERNMENT IS TO ATTRACT HEAVY INDUSTRY TO SOUTHWEST LOUISVILLE.

I'VE BEEN ASKED IF I FEEL LIKE DAVID FACING GOLIATH. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY NO, DAVID FOUGHT ALONE. MY NEIGHBORS ARE GREAT. THEY HAVE DELIVERED FLIERS AND LETTERS IN THE COLD AND RAIN,OTHERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED THEIR COMPUTER SKILLS, SOME HAVE CONTRIBUTED CHEMICAL KNOWLEDGE, THEY HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS, MADE PHONE CALLS, AND ATTENDED HEARINGS AND MEETINGS. MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD, MANY OF THE ORIGINAL RESIDENTS STILL LIVE THERE, MY NEIGHBORS ARE GOOD, HONEST, HARD WORKING PEOPLE.



IN SUMMARY, MAVERICK TUBE AND OTHER HEAVY INDUSTRY PROJECTED TO MOVE INTO OUR COMMUNITY WILL AFFECT US ALL. MAYOR ABRAMSON; THE VOTERS OF SOUTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY DO NOT WANT HEAVY INDUSTRY POLLUTING OUR AIR AND SICKENING OUR FAMILIES. GOVERNOR FLETCHER THIS IS NOT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN ! WHY THEN ARE YOU CREATING A NEW RUBBERTOWN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS???