The N&R supposedly has a big scoop on why Toyota chose Tupelo, Miss over Davidson County for its new factory: the air down in Davidson is — gasp— polluted.
OK, the article acknowledges that Davidson’s “air problems” are the result of the ill wind blowing up I-85 from Charlotte. But other details are a little sketchy, considering the fact that the N&R got its hands on “a variety of documents” from the state Department of Commerce:
Auto companies are unlikely to build a plant near areas with air pollution problems, not because they are big polluters, but because they are afraid of anything that might hold up their EPA permits during tight construction schedules.
“This is a serious challenge for this site,” wrote Mark M. Sweeney, a senior principal with McCallum Sweeney Consulting in a letter to Jim Fain, the state commerce secretary. Sweeney’s company is an independent site evaluator and also looked at Tupelo’s Wellspring Project before Toyota chose it.
That’s it? No elaboration on exactly why EPA permits would be held up, espcially if Toyota were to build the plant to meet EPA standards, which it would be crazy not to do. The problem, I assume, is Toyota would have trouble meeting the EPA’s ever-changing air-quality standards under a tight construction schedule. Seems to me like they would have that trouble in Tupelo, too.
Hey, I’m not criticizing, I’m just asking. Unfortunately, the N&R isn’t answering. The words “air pollution” alone are enough for a front-page article.
