Third Public Hearing Scheduled for February 16, 2009
The Alcorn Board of Supervisors are compelled to hold yet another public hearing on the proposed Forrest School Road landfill due to lack of proper notice to some landowners and their decision to NOT reschedule the December 15 hearing due to the threatening weather. The supervisors received over 50 letters requesting another public hearing.
The threat of freezing weather and National Weather Service travel advisories prevented many community residents from attending the December 15 hearing and the residents felt another hearing should be held to enable them to participate in the process.
In a special called board meeting on December 30 at 9:00 am, the Board of Supervisors voted to hold a third public hearing on February 16 at 6:00 pm in the upstairs courtroom at the Alcorn County Courthouse. Please make plans to attend.
Our group continues to question why another landfill is needed. Comprehensive studies have shown it would be much more cost-effective to recycle and haul the remaining garbage to a landfill in another county. Mississippi law states that a county must provide a method for disposal - not actually have a landfill - and the law plainly states that a county can contract with another county or waste management company to take the garbage. It will be a tremendous cost savings to Alcorn County taxpayers for the supervisors to recycle and contract with another county or waste management company to take the garbage. That cost savings can go a long way toward relieving the tax burden on each Alcorn County resident, as well as reducing any liabilities associated with operating and maintaining a landfill.
In Mississippi, construction debris landfills are referred to as rubbish sites. In reality, in almost every other state, they are called construction debris landfills because that more accurately reflects what is disposed in them. When someone remodels their home in Mississippi, the debris is disposed of in a ‘rubbish’ landfill. Older homes may have asbestos shingles and insulation with walls and siding painted with lead paint. Decomposing sheetrock turns into hydrogen sulfide and mold, both known to have cancer links. Treated wood may contain arsenic. Flourescent lightbulbs contain mercury and even carpeting and paneling can contain formaldehyde. When these items are broken apart and buried in the ground or the dust enters the atmosphere, contamination can occur. These type of landfills are also known for the uncontrollable underground fires that can burn for days releasing mixed toxins in the air.
Unfortunately, there are many examples where government regulations were not stringent enough and irreparable harm was done once the deficiencies were realized. The TVA coal ash flood that just happened is a very recent example. The uninhabitable Katrina trailers that were full of dangerous fumes is another. Love Canal, Chernobyl, and dozens of other environmental disasters demonstrate the dangers associated with taking our safety for granted and leaving it in the hands of unproven government regulations.
The proposed Forrest School Road landfill has no beneficial features that make it a good choice for a construction debris landfill. The land sits on a hill and is full of creeks that flow into a major tributary that feeds the water supply for miles. The roads to and from the site are dangerous, hilly, curvy, and full of potholes. Several have railroads. The site is surrounded by homes and contains a cemetery. It is not centrally located and illegal dumping is expected because residents will not drive to the site to dispose of their garbage. Again, it has no beneficial features that would cause anyone to want to put a landfill there. That’s part of what adds to our confusion. We don’t understand why anyone would want to put one there.
The fact that a third public hearing is required demonstrates the lack of understanding the board has for the process and procedures surrounding opening a landfill. It is a long-drawn out process and one we plan to ensure is followed to the letter of the law.
Members of our group have tried to present the board with more cost-effective options, but have been met with resistance and even been censured in an open forum. We ask that everyone in Alcorn County discuss this matter with your supervisor and ask them if this is really the most cost-effective option and how they chose this location. Ask how they will mitigate the obvious safety risks associated with this site and how they will protect the residents who live near it, on the way to it, or drive the roads to it.
Landfills don’t belong in anyone’s backyard.
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