Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Dena Cook, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners. 910.417.4916 or dena.cook@richmondnc.com

You may send an email to eddie.grant@richmondnc.com or contact him at 910-997-8215 (Solid Waste Enforcement/Sign Maintenance).

Tax/Land Records will print a copy of the map and/or tax card for a parcel located within Richmond County. 

Their office is located at 1401 Fayetteville Road Rockingham, NC 28379 (2nd Floor)

Property owners pay their taxes at the Tax Collector's Office, located on the first floor of the County Administration building. Call 910-997-8271 for further information.

In North Carolina, you have the right to family planning services, including birth control and emergency contraception, without permission from your parents. The clinic is open each weekday 8 AM -5 PM at the Richmond County Department of Health Services.  Call for an appointment 910-997-8301. 

You have the same rights as any other teen; however, any information in your foster agency file may be shared with your foster parents, those interested in adopting you, and the foster care agency staff.

No, your provider will not share this information with your parents unless there are serious concerns about your safety, such as if you were feeling so sad that you were thinking of hurting yourself. Even then, your provider would tell your parents that you were depressed and need help but would not reveal your sexual orientation. Your provider may be able to help you decide if and how to tell others.

North Carolina allows for teens to be tested and treated for STIs without your parents knowing. Talk with your provider about your concerns and how to receive this type of care.

Your provider needs to know that you are having sex or plan to have sex to help you make safe and healthy decisions that are best for you.

If you don’t have reliable information about condoms and other forms of birth control, you could get pregnant or sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV. Also, if you have any infection, it’s important for you and your partner to know so that treatment can occur.

Your provider will keep the details of what you talk about private, or confidential. The only times when your provider cannot honor your privacy is when someone is hurting you or you are going to hurt yourself or someone else. There are state laws that require doctors to share information when there is a concern about someone possibly getting hurt.

If this happens, you and your provider will talk about how to share any information necessary to keep everybody safe.

At your next visit be sure to…

• Ask your provider about what things can be kept confidential.
• Tell your provider if some of the things you talk about can be shared with your parents.
• Ask your provider who has access to your medical records (paper and electronic) and if your records are secure.
• Discuss any privacy concerns if you communicate with your provider by e-mail or on the phone.

You can and should talk with your provider (or the nurse) about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Sometimes your provider will ask questions about school, your friends, and family members. Sometimes your provider will ask you personal things like how you’re feeling or what you like to do in your free time.

The more your provider knows about you, the better he or she is able to answer your questions or concerns.

Youth 19 and under (that’s you!) can receive confidential sexual and reproductive health care.  The Richmond County Health Services offers clinic hours every Weekday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM at 127 Caroline Street Rockingham.  Walk-ins are welcome, but if you call us for an appointment, make sure to tell us your age so we know how to schedule you. 

The Richmond County Social Services has programs to help you. You may have to meet some requirements. Call 910-997-8404 for information about Food Stamps, Child and Adult Services as well as Work First, Medicaid and Daycare programs.  

Yes. The Richmond County Health Services provide a number of services. Most of the programs are for people who are unable to secure private medical attention. Call 910-997-8301 for more information.

Regular meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month. Regular meetings are held at:

Richmond County Judicial Center

105 W Franklin St, Courtroom C:

Rockingham, NC 28379

The deadline is Noon the day before your needed travel day.  

 Fill out the EDTAP Program From on the ART webpage.  Turn it into the  ART office. You will need to bring your unexpired State issued Identification with your current address.  Need help with this?  Call us at 910-895-1313.

We work travel in and around the Richmond County, NC area.  We do have routes and costs on the ART webpage.  Check out the price guide for destinations and cost.   

Check out the price guide on the webpage for destinations and prices.  

Office hours are Monday-Friday 6am to 6pm. Buses run from 4am to 5pm Monday-Friday. We will follow the local government for all holiday closings.  

Absolutely!  We have multiple buses with wheelchair lifts and all vans are ADA friendly.  When you call please let us know that you need the wheelchair lift.  

Please call us! (910) 895-1313 (TTY 800-735-2962) or email us at melissa.williams@richmondnc.com. 

Call 910-895-1313. 

Please call 910-895-1313. . If you are a Medicaid customer, please call Medicaid Transportation at 910-997-8445.

ART buses can show up ONE HOUR  before your appointment. If you are a Medicaid customer, ART buses can show up ONE HOUR before your appointment.

International Tie Disposal LLC (henceforth ITD) is intending to build a recycling operation to transform wood products (especially legacy & junk railroad ties) into an environmentally friendly material called biochar.   This is accomplished through use of vacuum sealed kilns exposed to extreme heat.      Legacy & junk railroad ties are deteriorated railroad ties ages approximately 15-30 years old and are no longer suitable for secondary markets.   Much of the creosote has leached from the tie.    At this facility the ties will be shredded and put in the kilns.     ITD is owned by Polivka out of Weddington, NC.   Polivka is a 3rd generation family business which specializes in paving & design build rail for all Class 1 railroads.        

No.    The Richmond Board of Commissioners did not recruit nor rezone on behalf of International Tie Disposal.      

The Richmond County Commissioners voted to re-zone property along the CSX Hamlet rail yard to Heavy Industrial upon the unanimous approval and recommendation of the planning and zoning board.   CSX submitted a request  that all CSX owned property in Richmond County be rezoned to heavy industrial.     The property was found to be consistent with the land use plan of Richmond County & is adjacent to a heavily used rail yard & within an industrialized area.    

ITD will generate $2.5M in gross salary to Richmond County employees (making on average of $22 per hour; $18, starting; $25, upper), and will invest up to $12 million dollars in infrastructure at its proposed facility. Maintenance and other services will be required of local contractors.

The Richmond Community College will provide key talent and training to its workforce of 55 employees, with higher than average salary for the region.

Lastly, ITD will be a valuable, contributing member of the local community, as it has at its corporate office in the town of Weddington, North Carolina.

ITD is not  burning railroad ties.   There is no combustion in the process.    The process of pyrolysis will heat the wood in an air starved kiln to a degree that the chemicals will turn into gas.   This process takes place in a vacuum sealed kiln with no visible emissions.   

Pyrolysis, the chemical decomposition of organic (carbon-based) materials through the application of heat. Pyrolysis, which is also the first step in gasification and combustion, occurs in the absence or near absence of oxygen and it is thus distinct from burning, which can take place only if sufficient oxygen is present.    Hence why the air sealed kilns are being used by ITD.    The rate of pyrolysis increases with temperature. In industrial applications the temperatures used are often 430 °C (about 800 °F) or higher, whereas in smaller-scale operations the temperature may be much lower. Two well-known products created by pyrolysis are a form of charcoal called biochar and coke (which is used as an industrial fuel and a heat shield)

Source:  https://www.britannica.com/science/pyrolysis

DEQ is the regulatory agency regarding the Air Quality Permit.     To date, ITD has received their ’draft permit’ from DEQ, however DEQ is still holding a public hearing on this project.   DEQ is a state regulatory agency appointed by Governor Roy Cooper and has been lead by Michael Regan, who has since moved on as an Environmental Director under the Biden Administration.    DEQ has given a platform to  environmental justice & environmental groups to ensure North Carolina is being a good steward of the environment.   ITD will undergo very strict regulations in order to receive their permit.   ITD has filed for a Synthetic Minor permit.   Synethic Permits are considered minor sources of pollutants as compared to large sources such as Title V permitted facilities.   

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality, otherwise The North Carolina Department of Air Quality (henceforth, DEQ) “enforces state and federal air pollution regulations. In North Carolina, the General Assembly enacts state air pollution laws, and the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) adopts most rules dealing with air quality. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated the DAQ as the lead agency for enforcing federal laws and regulations dealing with air pollution in North Carolina.” (NC DEQ: “About Air Quality” https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/about-air-quality)

In the course of acquiring an air quality permit, the DEQ requires facilities seeking a permit to submit data that follows the testing parameters established by the EPA. This is then used, usually with safety factors, to establish a conservative estimate of the facility’s permit type, whether a Small, Synthetic Minor, or a Title V permit.

The DEQ then works out the particular parameters of the permit with special conditions and other restrictions to ensure the facility meets all applicable ambient air quality standards and requirements.

For ITD’s proposed facility, the DEQ’s draft permit states that the permit would require testing on four (4) kilns within the first 90 days to ensure compliance with the air quality permit’s established limits for a Synthetic Minor Permit.

Additionally, continuous monitoring is specified with data that ITD will need to submit to the DEQ for review. This will also ensure compliance with all applicable law, and the proposed permit limitations.

If you are interested in participating in the public hearing, below is the relevant information & links:

Questions will be answered at the public meeting, while comments will only be received at the public hearing. Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 3, 2021.

The online public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2021. It can be accessed toll-free by calling +1 (415) 655-0003 and using the access code “178 013 3745.” The WebEx link is https://bit.ly/3cbemdt, and the event password is “NCDAQ.”

Those who wish to speak at the public meeting must register by 4 p.m. on Feb. 22. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3ogUGYm or call (919) 618-0968.

The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on March 1, 2021, also virtually. It can be accessed toll-free by calling +1 (415) 655-0003 and using the access code “178 470 3734.” The WebEx link is https://bit.ly/39golwj, and the event password is “NCDAQ.”

To speak at the public hearing, you must register by 4 p.m. on March 1. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3iJjiHU or call (919) 618-0968.

A majority of the legacy railroad ties will be transported via rail, so there will be minimal truck traffic

ITD modified its original permit based on residents’ concerns over noise pollution generated from the shredding operation. Instead of a diesel operated shredder, the facility will now utilize an electrically powered “chomper.” Additionally, the “chomper” will be housed in an intermodal container, which will have a sound dampening effect.

ITD’s anticipated sound levels will likely be lower than that generated by daily Amtrak and freight trains at the Hamlet CSX facility. By comparison, a shredder has a decibel scale (henceforth, dBA) of roughly 75, whereas a freight train has a dBA of 80. The horn on a train is roughly 130 dBA.

ITD intends to install tree lines and barriers to ensure the facility has reduced visibility & reduced sound.

ITD will be required to apply for all applicable state permits, including stormwater permitting. Due to the site modifications, this will likely require retention ponds. ITD will rely on the relevant state department that issues the stormwater permit to ensure its compliance with best practices.    In order to easeconcerns, ITD intends to use a geo-tech style mat which will retain heavy liquids and chemicals from seeping into the soil      As with most industrial sites, this will likely require a retention pond or utilize a nearby retention pond.    

The partner’s facility in Colorado does not pyrolyze cross ties, just for the tests, as noted. That said, the air quality reports for both are nearly equivalent - the creosote treated wood has slightly cleaner emissions. 

Additionally, the DEQ has air quality tests required within 90 days of construction. This is done to make sure the results match what we have been permitted for. It is important to note that we have a 25% safety factor in our emissions calculations, meaning they are very conservative. The DEQ has the results obviously of both the dead timber and cross ties emission tests.   This facility will have a similar appearance to the site in Colorado.

Below is a link to BioChar now:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zVqJ1K6eHM

The Biomass energy facility operated by Dominion Power in Georgia utilized railroad ties as a feedstock. There are concerns by some residents that the complaints of odor and smoke associated with the Biomass energy facility in Georgia will similarly apply to ITD’s facility due to it utilizing the same feedstock, that is, railroad ties.

Although the feedstock is similar (railroad ties), the Biomass energy process and the process utilized by ITD are completely different. Biomass energy actually burns railroad ties to create energy, whereas ITD neither burns, nor creates energy with its feedstock. Biomass power operates very similarly to coal power, with a similar pollution profile. Moreover, Biomass power generally operates under the Title V category permit, which is for facilities with high pollution, unlike ITD’s facility, which would operate under a Synthetic Minor permit.

Additionally, ITD’s kiln exhaust system has no visible emissions.

The complaints of odor apply to most Biomass energy facilities, regardless of feedstock. One study found that 7 out of 9 Biomass energy facilities in Europe received odor complaints. Another study found odor associated with the presence of sugar in hardwoods. Due to the legacy tie feedstock (30 - 40 years old) utilized by ITD, ITD does not anticipate the sugar present in the legacy tie feedstock to be sufficient to generate odors.

Yes, attached is a link to the public meeting.    Everyone had access to sign up for questions and DEQ did their best to answer with factual information.    Much of their research was mentioned in this meeting.   Click the link below to access:

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-quality-public-engagement#public-hearings

YES--Although Richmond does not provide a curbside pickup service there are five permitted entities that do provide this service. The following list is for informational purposes only and Richmond County DOES NOT recommend any one of these providers over the other. Tally Watson 910-206-6611 / Ace Garbage 910-334-1033 / Bobby Brigman (East Rock. only) 910-334-3257 / Tugaloo Refuse 910-517-3013 / Tedder Trash Solutions 910-557-0177

Please contact our Solid Waste Enforcement Officer Mr. Eddie Grant at (910) 997-8215.

We accept household waste generated from inside your home. Construction debris / wood / yard waste must be taken to the Transfer Station located at 191 Walter Kelly Road north of Rockingham off Dockery road. There is a $ 64.50/ ton (a little over $.03 per pound) disposal fee for any wood and/or construction related items. Wooden Pallets disposal cost is $64.50 / ton See FAQ's # 6.

Richmond County currently accepts paper / plastic / metal cans /  in the recycling containers located at various convenience sites throughout the county. (see chart for items accepted at each location) In addition, we accept used cooking oil, used motor oil, electronics, and scrap metal. (see chart for items accepted at each location)

These materials must be brought to the landfill location located at 191 Walter Kelly Rd. Convenience sites DO NOT accept this type of waste. There is no disposal fee for land owners that have a structure on the property where a yearly landfill fee is assessed, however, if the lot is empty then the disposal fee of $35.00/ton shall apply for disposal.  Businesses will be charged a fee of $35.00 / ton for disposal. ALL debris of this type must be removed from bags when disposed of.

Richmond County Solid Waste Enforcement Officer is Eddie Grant. He can be contacted at (910) 997-8215.

In order for us to accept paint, it must be dried or filled with sand / cat litter etc. We DO NOT accept liquid paint. If opened, it can leak from our trucks and cause damage to vehicles while being transported. Richmond County provides a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection day in the spring every year for these items. This usually occurs on a Saturday in April from 9-1 in the Richmond County Health Dept. parking lot, uptown Rockingham.

EVERYONE will be charged for disposal of any type of construction debris. This includes (but not limited to) ALL wood, sheetrock, siding, doors, windows, block, brick, wooden pallets, etc. The fee for disposal is $64.50/ ton (a little over .03 cents per pound).

Pesticide containers from a residence may be disposed of at the Richmond County Transfer Station Facility located at 191 Walter Kelly Dr. between Rockingham and Ellerbe. Bulk containers (i.e. anything over 1 gallon) must be disposed of at the Plainview Convenience Site location off of Hwy 73 and Hwy 220. ALL containers must be empty, triple washed, with lids off or holes so no liquid can accumulate.

No.  We do not accept on line payments.  However we do accept payments by phone.

NC Septic Tank Contractors

No.

No, WIC participants cannot use eWIC with online grocery ordering.

Yes, NC eWIC benefits can only be transacted in NC.

Yes, foster children will have their own EBA that will contain their food benefits and will be issued their own eWIC card.

The eWIC app (Bnft) will provide WIC participants with current food benefit balances (including zero balance). Notifications regarding when benefits will expire and account activity can be sent if selected by the participant, but the app does not remind the user of any appointments.  

While the shopping list will have "First Date to Spend" and "Last Date to Spend" listed for each month of benefits issued, it does not have the next appointment printed on it.

An eWIC card may be replaced as many times as needed. Families who need their card replaced more than three times should be encouraged but are not required to use the eWIC Customer Service system for a mailed replacement.