VinFast seeks federal approval for permit application on impacts to streams and wetlands
THE TOTALS EXCEEDED RECORD SET
IN
2021.
>> AN ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT
IS FIGHTING THE ENEMIES.
CAR MAKER VINFAST HAS PLANS TO
BUILD A FACTORY IN
CHATHAM COUNTY. THIS IS NEAR
MONTOUR. THE COMPANY WANTS TO
BUILD NEAR 33,000 FEET OF
STREAMS AND 99 ACRES OF
WETLAND. YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH
OF THAT AREA HAS BEEN CLEARED.
WRAL'S MATT TALHELM SHOWS US
THE IMPACT THIS PLAN COULD HAVE
ON THOSE WATERWAYS.
>> THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
WATERWAYS. THIS IS SHAD EXCRETE
RIGHT HERE AT RUNS RIGHT ALONG
THE EDGE OF VINFAST'S PROPERTY
OVER HERE RIGHT NOW, THE
COMPANY IN NC DOT ARE TRYING
TO GET FEDERAL APPROVAL FOR
PLANS THAT HAVE SOME PERMANENT
IMPACTS TO THE WATERWAYS HERE.
A RAINY DAY BRINGS OUT. AND
RIVER KEEP THAT DOCUMENT THE
HEALTH OF THE WATER IN THE
WHOLE RIVER. ANY WATER QUALITY
ISSUE IN THAT WATERSHED IS WHAT
I WORK ON.
>> SHE'S KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH
ON WHAT'S FLOWING OUT OF THE
MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN AMMAN,
JORDAN WATERS, THE COLOR OF
CHOCOLATE MILK THAT WILL BECOME
HOME TO VINFAST THAT ENTIRE
AREA OF OUR WATERSHED, WHICH IS
ALREADY INUNDATED WITH A LOT
OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD
BE FURTHER DEGRADED WITHOUT THE
ABILITY TO HEAL ITSELF. THE
VIETNAMESE AUTOMAKER SITE
COVERS 1300 ACRES WITH MORE
THAN 33,000 FEET OF STREAMS
AND 99 ACRES OF WETLANDS.
THE PROJECT WOULD PERMANENTLY
IMPACT NEARLY 3,700 FEET OF
STREAMS. AND 23 ACRES OF
WETLANDS. THOSE IMPACTS ARE
DETAILED IN THIS APPLICATION
BY BEEN FASTENED NC DOT FOR A
PERMIT FROM THE U.S. ARMY CORPS
OF ENGINEERS. WE WENT THROUGH
THAT 284 PAGE APPLICATION.
>> IT SAYS THE LONG-TERM
EFFECTS WOULD INCLUDE THE
INCREMENTAL LOSS OF AQUATIC
FUNCTION PROVIDED BY THE STREAM
AND WETLANDS ON THE SITE AND
INCREASES IN STORM WATER
FLOWING OFF THE SITE, WHICH CAN
HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT ON
THE STREAM SYSTEM, STABILITY
AND FUNCTIONAL INTEGRITY FOR
MILES DOWNSTREAM. BUT THE
APPLICATION ALSO SAYS OVERALL,
THE ANTICIPATED EFFECTS OF THE
PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD BE THE
FENNEL IS THE DISTRICT CHIEF OF
THE REGULATORY DIVISION FOR THE
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WERE
ABLE TO HOLD US TO COME UP THE
PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT.
>> NOT JUST ABOUT SOME
WETLANDS, BUT ALSO THE HUMAN
ENVIRONMENT ADJACENT PROPERTY
OWNERS, AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
AND YOU KNEW THE FACTS AND THE
ENTIRE PROJECT.
>> OUR LOOK AND WANTS SO ONCE A
STREAM THAT HAS INUNDATED WITH
SEDIMENT AND THAT HABITAT IS
LOST, WE CAN GET THAT LIFE
BACK. SUDDEN ONCE THE PERMIT
DENIED BEFORE THE DAMAGE IS
DONE, THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY
AND WE DEPEND ON THE HEALTH OF
OUR ECOSYSTEM, OUR AIR, QUALITY
AND WATER QUALITY.
VINFAST IS OFFERING TO BUY WHAT
ARE CALLED MITIGATION CREDITS.
SO BASICALLY THEY PAY TO MAKE
STREAM AND WETLAND IMPROVEMENTS
ELSEWHERE.
>> TO OFFSET THE DAMAGE DONE AT
THIS SITE. MATT TALHELM, WRAL
NEWS, CHATHAM COUNTY. WE
REACHED OUT TO BOTH VINFAST
AND THE DOT FOR COMMENT ON
THESE CONCERNS. SO FAR WE
HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM FAST,
BUT THE DOT DID TELL US THEY'RE
WORKING TO IDENTIFY A PATH WITH