Sunday, July 29, 2012
SEWER SLUDGE UPDATE and PETITION
contact: president@dawsoncountyhomeowners for a PETITION in PDF format
This parcel (#107-013) is zoned for residential development
and is surrounded by homes, residential communities and their water
wells. It is intersected by streams and wetlands which drain down to the Etowah
River past Black’s Mill Elementary and the two Riverview Schools, the canoe
put-in and the new sports fields at Rock Creek Park. It is also located less
than a mile from Dawson County’s major revenue generator –the Premium Outlet
Mall and the GA400 business community. Mr. Benoit Causse, the EPD engineer
processing the permit, confirmed that if the sludge is stored in a tank or
tanker for more than 24hrs. before it is spread it becomes anaerobic (starved
of air) and smells like contents from a septic tank and that during wet weather
spreading of the sludge has to wait until weather conditions improve.
Mr Curren has already held a public MEETING (July 16th)
by request of the EPD who have been working on this permit submission since
early January 2012. This meeting was NOT a PUBLIC HEARING. The EPD must
advertise a public hearing in newspapers that serve the jurisdiction
where the sludge dumping is proposed, followed by a 30 day period for the
public to continue to weigh in with comments, letters and emails. Such a public
hearing has not been advertised as of today’s date.
Current legislation controlling sewer sludge disposal
resides with the State of GA through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
and permitting body the EPD, thus local control is effectively bypassed with or
without the existence of local ordinances (Dawson is without). If the permit
seeker can pass all the EPD permit requirements local objections could be
bypassed too.
WHAT WE CAN DO
·
Please request copies of the petition and share
these with each of your friends, relatives, neighbors and community asking them
to distribute to theirs. (Each one reach one networking). Then collect the
signed copies (even if they are not completely full). Let me know if you would
like these sheets picked-up or alternatively mail them to Dawson County
Homeowners Civic Association, PO BOX 1294 Dawsonville GA 30534
· Each person should sign only ONCE and should be at least 18 years old. There is no restriction on where signatories reside, except to say that Dawson County residents, businesses and taxpayers will add most weight in the minds of the petition recipients. (Email addresses are not essential and would only be used to communicate updates from DCHCA!)
Dawson County local government and staff are preparing
technical and legal arguments in opposition to this permit and support the
DCHCA petition. The Dawson County Website will post information and updates on
its front page. http://dawsoncounty.org/government/public-notices/sludge-sprayfield-harry-sosebee-road-lumpkin-campground-road/
and has posted the following contacts for you.
For your comments (letters and emails) to the EPD
Contact (Municipal Permitting Unit)
Benoit Causse (404) 675-1620 benoit.causse@dnr.state.ga.us
David McKee (706) 344-3500 ext. 42337 dmckee@dawsoncounty.org
contact: president@dawsoncountyhomeowners for a PETITION in PDF format
With the recent sewer sludge issue fresh on Dawson County’s
front porch now may be a good time to review what we know and what we can do:
WHAT WE KNOW:
Waterscapes Services LLC (through their agent Ken
Curren) have filed a request with the Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
for a permit to amend their Sludge Management Plan to allow land application of
Class B sewer sludge (partially treated human waste), from Hampton Creek Water
Reclamation facility to spread it over four areas of parcel #107 013 in Dawson
County located at the corner of Harry Sosebee Road and Lumpkin Campground
Road (aka Hwy 9 EAST). The four areas total 65 acres of this 160acre parcel.
DCHCA has published a petition. Large
public support and participation will not be lost on the permitting authorities
or the State lawmakers (even after an election!). Remember, as current GA
legislation stands a field near your home could be chosen by sludge dumpers
next!
· Each person should sign only ONCE and should be at least 18 years old. There is no restriction on where signatories reside, except to say that Dawson County residents, businesses and taxpayers will add most weight in the minds of the petition recipients. (Email addresses are not essential and would only be used to communicate updates from DCHCA!)
For your comments (letters and emails) to the EPD
Contact (Municipal Permitting Unit)
Benoit Causse (404) 675-1620 benoit.causse@dnr.state.ga.us
For questions - Dawson
County Liaison
Planning and Development DirectorDavid McKee (706) 344-3500 ext. 42337 dmckee@dawsoncounty.org
No one wants this sludge
dumping except those who spread the sludge!
Jane Graves
For DCHCA
Help Stop the Sludge Field -
This Lettter to the Editor was published in the Dawson News and Advertiser on 25th July 2012
Correction: 40,000-50,000gallons annually should read monthly
This Lettter to the Editor was published in the Dawson News and Advertiser on 25th July 2012
Correction: 40,000-50,000gallons annually should read monthly
Waterscape Utility LLC submitted a “Revised Sludge Management Plan for the Hampton Creek Waste Water Refuge Facility” and the request for a permit to dump 40,000 to 50,000 gallons of Class B sewer sludge annually over the surface of 60 acres of land near the intersection of Harry Sosebee Rd and Lumpkin Campground Rd HAS BEEN FILED with the EPD.
This permit would also include a 30,000 gallon storage tank to hold the sludge if the ground is too wet to receive it directly. This sludge is not dry nor is it composted, it contains active human germs (from human waste) such as Hepatitis A, Salmonella, E-coli etc. and it smells, particularly when wet and will be carried to the site in trucks using Dawson County roads. Groundwater and well contamination, respiratory diseases and death are only some of the documented occurrences following similar dumping elsewhere in GA; however, all were dismissed as lacking conclusive evidence by the EPD. There are many homes and subdivisions in close proximity to this proposed dump site, the Premium Outlet Mall (the County’s prime revenue source) is less than a mile away and the streams on this property flow down to the Etowah past Black’s Mill Elementary, as well as the two Riverview schools and into the Etowah River by the new sports fields, canoe put-in and Rock Creek Park.
Current EPD and State regulations may permit this dumping unless it can be proven to fall short of EPD standards! Members of the Dawson County Board of Commissioners are opposed to this permit. No one in our county wants this dumping, least of all in our most populated corridor!
The EPD’s environmental engineer who has been handling this documentation since January 5 is Mr. Benoit Causse. According to Causse, once the permit is "open," the EPD will advertise a public notice on its website and in local newspapers. At that point, the clock starts ticking and the public has 30 days to comment. However, comments may be emailed in advance to epdcomments@dnr.state.ga.us, but don't stop there. Keep sending comments once the notice is placed.
I believe Dawson County taxpayers should also immediately contact their State representatives. Protest this surface dumping of sewer sludge that risks our health our safety and our local economy. A massive public “stink” may encourage the EPD to deny this permit. There are no local ordinances in place to stop further permits being applied for in the future, making Dawson County vulnerable to become the Grand Poop capital of GA!
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