January 26, 2005 MEDIA RELEASE
Mebane residents file suit against asphalt plant and seek community
support
(Raleigh, NC) – Residents of Alamance County has filed suit against
an asphalt plant in their neighborhood surrounding Gibson Road in
Mebane, NC.
"A residential neighborhood is a terrible place for an asphalt
plant,” said Nicole Graysmith, Staff Attorney with Legal Aid of
North Carolina’s Environmental Poverty Law Project. “In this case,
Central Paving has significantly impacted the lives of the residents
living in the Gibson Road area by polluting the air that they
breathe, causing debris to fall on their property, and forcing them
indoors with noxious odors. All of this has cost the residents
considerable time and money, not to mention making it impossible for
them to enjoy outdoor activities, including gardening, cooking out
and spending time with friends and family.”
The lawsuit alleges that Central Paving’s asphalt plant at 125
Gibson Road is a nuisance, creating a substantial interference of
the plaintiff’s use and enjoyment of their property and has resulted
in damages to their property and property value. The lawsuit also
alleges trespass and negligence claims.
Legal Aid of North Carolina is representing the low-income plaintiffs in the
lawsuit. The other plaintiffs are represented by John Runkle, a
private attorney in Orange County.
Several Gibson Road residents have formed a community group,
“Friends of Gibson Road,” to protect residents from the effects of
Central Paving’s asphalt plant. They are seeking an injunction to
stop the asphalt plant from operation and are rallying support from
the community.
Friends of Gibson Road have also developed a website,
www.friendsofgibsonroad.org, to provide information about the
community and the lawsuit, as well as to seek financial donations
for litigation expenses (such as court and copy costs). Interested
citizens can make a donation online at the website or by mail by
writing a check to: Kathleen Bridges (with "Friends of Gibson Road"
in the note section), 209 Gibson Road, Mebane, NC 27302.
Legal Aid
of North Carolina (LANC). is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to eligible,
low-income people in all 100 counties in North Carolina through 24,
geographically located offices in North Carolina. LANC’s clients
typically have an annual income of 125% or less of the federally
established poverty levels.
CONTACTS: Nicole Graysmith (Staff Attorney,
LANC-Environmental
Poverty Law Project, Greensboro, NC);
336-272-0148
Melany Earnhardt (Project Director, LANC-Environmental
Poverty Law Project, Greensboro, NC);
336-272-0148
Dock Kornegay (Director, Public Relations &
Development, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC)
919-856-2564
Disclaimer
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purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Please contact your
Legal Aid of North Carolina office or a private attorney if you need to speak to
an attorney regarding your particular situation. See our complete
disclaimer.
Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in
order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers
to economic opportunity.