A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for the remediation of the Bingham Park Landfill in Guilford County.
Whereas, Bingham Park and the part of the surrounding predominantly African American neighborhood of Cottage Grove in Greensboro was constructed over the site of an incinerator and former landfill that closed and was buried nearly 70 years ago; and
Whereas, the landfill predated modern regulatory requirements, and thus was not built with a liner, which means that residual contamination from the landfill and incinerator have leached into soils, groundwater, and streams running adjacent to the Park; and
Whereas, the levels of contaminants such as lead and asbestos exceed State standards in the Park; and
Whereas, city, State, and federal agencies have known about the contamination of the Park for over 10 years; and
Whereas, North Carolina's program for remediation of pre‑regulatory landfill sites such as Bingham Park has identified over 650 such landfills in the State, but the solid waste tipping fee that supports the program generates about $12 million annually; and
Whereas, the presence of low‑income housing complexes near the Park means significant numbers of vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly, are exposed to the contamination from the former landfill site; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year is appropriated from the General Fund to the City of Greensboro for remediation of the landfill underlying Bingham Park, for restoration of the site, and for rehabilitation and remediation of the creeks draining the site.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2023.