Just wondering has anyone actually done a real economic analysis of signing a mineral lease with ORC? For example, has anyone weighed the costs associated with jobs gained sometime in the future, two or three years as ORC ramps up and jobs lost, like the road crew more than a year ago? Are the potential revenues from royalties greater than the current timber revenues already being earned on a sustainable harvest yield basis?

What about the consequence of enterprise zone tax exemptions ORC plans to avail itself of? What about potential lost timber sales if ORC mitigation methods aren’t adequate? How many years after the county ties up its mineral rights before the public see a return? What is the NPV (Net Present Value) for working timber land today? What is the county’s business model for entering into the mineral rights business?

How much water is required for ORC mining use? How quickly can the water be safely returned to the environment?

ORC indicates they take all the risk but that simply isn’t true. Core samples aren’t the only due diligence the County needs to undertake.