Neighbors for Environmental Safety Today
Oak Ridge, NC
Neighbors for Environmental Safety Today
(NEST) is celebrating the end of its fight
against Waste Management Inc. that has lasted for
over a decade in Forsyth and Guilford counties.
In October 2004, the Piedmont Landfill was capped
and closed, ending WMI attempts to expand the
landfill on 300 acres on the Forsyth-Guilford
county line. NEST defeated WMI expansion seven
times on the old tract. On October 23, 2004, NEST
members gathered for a Pig Pickin' Celebration in
Oak Ridge, NC. Several BREDL Board members joined
the celebration after the Board's meeting.
The WMI Piedmont Landfill opened July
1990. NEST organized September 1990. Originally,
the Piedmont Landfill was to be a Kernersville
landfill for local garbage until after it was
sited, and then they were permitted to bring
garbage from all over North Carolina and 6
southeastern states. It was supposed to last from
23-30 years and it was almost filled in 8 years.
Then they cut back on the intake and tried to
expand into Guilford County. It was completely
filled in 14 years.
Throughout the history of the Piedmont Landfill,
Waste Management Inc. made several attempts to
expand the landfill. Each time, NEST was there to
ensure it didn't happen.
Timetable:
December, 1997: Guilford County Planning Board
voted 5-3 against Waste Management’s
proposal for expansion of Piedmont Landfill
operations into Guilford County.
February, 1998: Guilford County Commissioners
voted 7-1 against Waste Management’s request
for Special Use Permit to operate Piedmont
Landfill in Guilford County.
November, 1999: Forsyth County Planning Board
voted 6-1 against Waste Management’s request
for rezoning in order that they could raise the
elevation of the landfill and continue
operations.
June, 2000: Forsyth County Planning Board
rejected for the 2nd time Waste Management’s
request for rezoning to allow them to raise the
permitted elevation and continue operation in
Forsyth County.
August, 2000: Forsyth County Commissioners
rejected Waste Management’s request for
continued operation in Forsyth County by a
unanimous vote.
October 8, 2003: Guilford Co. NC Planning Board
voted 7 - 0 to deny Waste Management's request to
rezone property for landfill expansion. WMI
appealed to Guilford County Commissioners.
November 6, 2003: Guilford County Commissioners
denied by a 7 to 4 vote the request by Waste
Management to rezone from Agricultural to Heavy
Industrial. This vote effectively stopped the
dump from coming into Guilford County.
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aerial
photo of Piedmont Landfill (circa 1995),
the old Kernersville landfill can be seen
across the road in the upper left hand
corner
photo: courtesy NEST
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Facts were presented that proved
“the proposed use of the land would
materially endanger the public health or safety
if located where proposed”.
1. Ground Water Supply
Environs of the Piedmont Landfill are
residential with individual wells (not
municipal water) and have no means
of obtaining water should an
“accident” occur.
·
Monitoring wells have already shown
evidences of contamination, posing a
threat to the groundwater supply of
existing homes and deterring residential
growth.
2.
Surface Water Contamination
Pictorial evidence was presented
depicting contamination of creeks and
streams from discharge of sediment ponds
·
NCDEHNR inspection reports issued by the
NC Dept. of Environment, Health, and
Natural Resources were reviewed as
evidence of the erosion problems
·
Citations issued by the NC Dept. of
Environment, Health, and
·
Natural Resources were reviewed as
evidence of the occurrence of leachate
seeps. In one instance, a berm side
blowout required a special, emergency
inspection.
3.
Roadside Hygiene
Evidence was presented exhibiting the
type of continuous exposure to garbage by
the residents of the neighborhoods
through which the trucks travel.
Garbage included soiled diapers, spoiling
food remnants, etc. Video evidence
was presented showing trucks traveling at
excessive speeds through our
neighborhoods without proper tarping,
allowing the garbage to escape from the
trucks.
posted online November 5, 2004
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