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WILMINGTON – Protesters in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties rallied together Monday for a group known as Citizens Against Titan.

The grassroots group is protesting Titan America's proposed cement plant, which opponents say would harm air and water quality. Members went door-to-door collecting almost 6,000 signatures and handed the petition over to county commissioners during their Monday meeting.

“Our health should be the primary reason to stop Titan, but there is also a tourist factor here in the Wilmington area. I can't imagine what two, 40-story smoke stacks that will be seen by plane and by car will do to our tourism,” said Kim Shovlin, with Citizens Against Titan.

The cement plant project's General Manager, Bob Odom, says that the plant will follow EPA guidelines and bring much-needed jobs to the area.

"The main thing is we are going to follow all the rules. It is going to be a clean, environmentally friendly cement plant, and you can use clean and cement in the same sentence," said.

But opponents still fear the environmental impacts.

"The fact that someone meets or almost meets the standards for pollution still doesn't mean strategically, from a public policy standpoint, does this kind of industry make sense for our area," said Jack Spruill, of Citizens Against Titan.

Odom said he hears the community.

"We have to address those concerns. We understand these concerns. But we are going to do everything that is right because we live here too," said Odom.

The Division of Air Quality is now reviewing the thousands of public comments submitted before deciding whether to issue an air permit, issue an air permit with changes or deny the permit completely for the site in Castle Hayne.

Carolina Cement Company said with the necessary permits, they hope to break ground by the end of 2011.