Burlington Reschedules RAB Meeting Jan. 28 for Western Electric Cleanup

Burlington has pushed back its next Restoration Advisory Board meeting to Jan. 28 to allow federal partners time to recover from a recent government shutdown and to ensure DoD representatives can brief the public on cleanup progress at the former Western Electric/Tarheel Army Missile Plant. The meeting will take place from 6pm to 8pm at Kernodle Senior Center and is intended to update neighbors on remediation, interim work and future redevelopment planning.

The city posted a notice on its Western Electric property page that states, "Please note: Due to recent government shutdown the next RAB meeting has been rescheduled for January 28, 2026 from 6pm-8pm at Kernodle Senior Center." The same page serves as a hub for background, remediation updates and public engagement materials, linking to Army Environmental Command RAB pages, member lists and external documents that outline the cleanup process.

The Western Electric property is roughly 22 acres and includes 22 buildings, creating a complex remediation challenge with split responsibilities. Above-ground structures are the responsibility of the private owner, while the U.S. Department of Defense is handling groundwater and subsurface contamination under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act - CERCLA. The DoD is in Phase 2, the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study, and has planned interim remedial actions to address immediate risks while longer-term remedies are evaluated. The city’s webpage also references timeline summaries and documents from NCDEQ and EPA that track CERCLA milestones and DoD interim actions.

For residents, the rescheduled RAB meeting is a key chance to hear technical updates directly from the agencies that will shape health protections and redevelopment outcomes. Burlington has been active in supporting cleanup and future reuse, pursuing National Register designation, Opportunity Zone inclusion, a Sustainable Design Assessment Team review, and an internal task force. City officials have also stepped up outreach to federal and state partners and invite community members to share memories and priorities for the site’s future.

Neighborhood concerns include groundwater safety, property values, and how former industrial buildings might be repurposed. The RAB meeting will provide a forum to ask technical questions, review documents linked by the city and learn timelines for interim work and next CERCLA steps. Burlington’s continued engagement with federal and state agencies means residents will have additional opportunities to shape cleanup and redevelopment as plans evolve.