Governor Cooper meets with those impacted by Canton Paper Mill closure
RALEIGH: Last week, Governor Roy Cooper traveled to western North Carolina and met with local leaders and community members in Canton affected by the closure of the town’s century old paper mill by Illinois packaging conglomerate Pactiv Evergreen.
On March 6, Pactiv Evergreen announced plans to shut down the paper mill in Canton, North Carolina, and the first layoffs will occur on June 9, 2023. The Canton mill has been in operation for more than a century and has been the center of that town and region.
During his visit, Governor Cooper stopped at Pisgah High School and met with local elected officials and leaders about the closure. The Governor also met with mill workers at the United Steelworkers Smoky Mountain Local 507 Union Hall and rail workers and suppliers at the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad Depot.
Read more about Governor Cooper’s visit and the impact this closure will have on the Canton community:
The Mountaineer: Governor to Canton: you are not alone
Aarik Long - April 6, 2023
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper made a visit Thursday to Haywood County — which he called one of the top five most beautiful counties in the state — with a stop at Pisgah High School to address concerns over the closure of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill.
It was Cooper's third time in Canton: he's visited twice since the devastating floods in 2021 from Tropical Storm Fred.
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The message from both the mayor and the governor were clear: Canton is strong, but the community is not alone.
“The first thing I saw was a community that was together,” Cooper said. “This town is strong.”
He pointed specifically to how the community and surrounding areas pulled together following the flood.
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Cooper praised not just the town but specifically those working at the mill, saying that they are “some of the best workers on Earth.”
When Smathers and Cooper spoke the night the mill closure was announced, Smathers said the first thing the governor asked was not about the mill itself nor the economic impact.
“His first question was ‘How are your people,’” Smathers said.
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Additionally, the governor said that he had included a $5 million provision in his budget plan for the new fiscal year to help the Canton area. The House also has this $5 million provision in the draft of its budget.
“We want to help,” Cooper said.
The governor said that they are “all in on recovery” and that it is an “all of government approach” to solving the issues presented by the closure.
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Cooper pointed to the ripple effect on local businesses being one of the biggest concerns. Many of these businesses relied on the mill, whether that be directly or indirectly through the monetary support of mill workers, Cooper said.
The governor spoke about the way people from all around the state went to Moore County following an attack on their substation in Dec. 2022 that knocked out power. He said the impact of the people coming and supporting the local economy helped businesses overcome the burden felt by the loss of power for multiple days.
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“We have to make sure people get help,” Cooper said.
Cooper also pointed people in the direction of the suicide and crisis hotline, saying to call or text 988 if you feel like you are in a bad place and need the help.
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Read the full article HERE.
WLOS: Pactiv Evergreen closure: Gov. Cooper takes message of hope, determination to Canton
Samiar Nefzi - April 6, 2023
The looming closure of the Pactiv Evergreen mill in Canton has left a cloud of uncertainty for small business owners who rely on the patronage of mill workers.
"I know there’s concern about people leaving this area to find work and concern about businesses that were dependent upon this mill for their business and the ripple effect that’s going to happen,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said.
In the governor’s proposed budget, there's at least $5 million in funding to support the Canton community and Western North Carolina.
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“Now, especially, it's meaningful to us,” Pigeon River Mercantile owner Lisa Conard said. “We are a mill town.”
Conard has had her Main Street business for five years. The store sells a variety of vintage-themed outfits, with a line of “Milltown” branded shirts and hats.
“I was kind of stunned because it’s been here forever,” Conard said. “As a business owner, it’s kind of hard to separate.”
The smokestacks have become the town’s symbol over the course of 100 years.
“This closure will have a devastating impact on the thousands of people who have depended on wages and business from the Canton paper mill,” Cooper said.
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“We have talked about drawing down federal funds in the entrepreneurial arena,” Cooper said. “[This would help] these small businesses change their focus of what they are doing so they can find another way to make money.”
The governor said his administration is actively working to recruit new businesses to replace Pactiv Evergreen and supply jobs.
“Change is scary,” Conard said. “It is uncertain. There is no guarantee, so there is some concern.”
Cooper said his office is also looking into applying for a Dislocated Workers Grant. The federal money would focus on retraining skilled workers to keep labor in Haywood County.
“We want to make sure that we are continuing rapid economic development recruitment here, other businesses that may want to come here to fill the void,” Cooper said.
“We’re working together as a town to stay open and let folk know we’re here,” Conard said.
In the meantime, Cooper urged the community to support local businesses, saying a shop local campaign could help mom-and-pop shops.
Read the full article HERE.
Blue Ridge Public Radio: Governor Cooper calls for accountability in Canton
Lilly Knoepp - April 6, 2023
In a visit to Canton [...], Governor Roy Cooper voiced his support for holding Pactiv Evergreen accountable after the hasty announcement of closure of the mill last month.
“The heart of Haywood County and Western North Carolina is strong. And it is a lot bigger than one papermill,” Cooper said.
Cooper addressed concerns about the local economy in Canton because of the loss of the papermill.
His office is working with all levels of government to get funding for the region and make sure that Canton’s infrastructure is strong after the mill leaves, he said.
“We know too that something else needs to be done with that property. And we will do what we can to facilitate that,” Cooper said. “I didn’t get a call from this company. I didn’t know they were going. You all didn’t know they were going. They just left. We need to hold them accountable.”
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“We want that money back. We want that money to go to this area to make sure that you recover. And all options are on the table as far as I’m concerned about what we can do. We want the best thing for this community to happen,” Cooper said.
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“We know that the vast majority of that wastewater treatment is because of the plant itself,” Cooper said. The Department of Environmental Quality is working with the town and Pactiv Evergreen to discuss what will be needed during this transition.
According to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Pactiv Evergreen currently holds multiple active environmental permits, including air quality, wastewater treatment, and storm water.
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Read the full article HERE.
EdNC: Leaders pledge to support Canton
Mebane Rash - April 8, 2023
On April 6, Mayor Zeb Smathers welcomed local and state leaders to Canton. They met at Pisgah High School, which sits on a hill overlooking the paper mill that is closing. Smoke, for now, still billows out of the stacks.
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Smathers said Cooper called him shortly after the news broke that the mill was closing. Cooper’s first question was, Smathers said, “How are your people?”
“That matters,” said Smathers. “Leadership matters.”
Cooper was welcomed to the school by students and school leaders.
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“This closure will have a devastating impact on the thousands of people who have depended on wages and business from the Canton Paper Mill,” Cooper said. “We are going to mobilize local, state, federal, businesses, nonprofits. We are going to have an all-of-government approach to recovery for this area.”
Cooper said skill retraining and small business development through the community college will be important. “We have a lot of investment ready to get people retrained to do whatever it is we could bring here. That’s the beauty of our community colleges,” he said.
“The heart of Haywood County and western North Carolina is strong. And it is a lot bigger than one paper mill,” Cooper exclaimed.
“I didn’t get a call from this company. I didn’t know they were going,” said Cooper. “They just left. We need to hold them accountable.”
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Cooper said he has still only heard from lawyers of the company. “We want that money to go to this area,” said the governor. “We are all in on recovery for Canton, Haywood County, and western North Carolina.”
The governor also met with mill workers at the United Steelworkers Smoky Mountain Local 507 Union Hall and rail workers and suppliers at the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad Depot, according to the press release.
Earlier last week, the governor launched a page on his website to share information and resources for people in western North Carolina who are looking for jobs, news about the closure, mental health resources, and more.
Governor Cooper’s proposed budget and the House’s proposed budget includes $5 million in funding for economic relief for the town of Canton.
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Spread the word around, echoed the governor: “Come to Canton. Come to Haywood County.”
Read the full article HERE.
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