BLUE RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE LEAGUE
PO Box 88 ~ Glendale Springs, North Carolina 28629 ~ Phone (336) 982-2691 ~ Fax (336) 982-2954 ~ Email: BREDL@skybest.com

ANSON COUNTY CACTUS
PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Denise Lee, CACTUS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1999   

ANSON COUNTY CACTUS TAKES LEGAL ACTION OPPOSING WATER QUALTIY CERTIFICATION PERMIT

Tuesday November 9, 1999 Anson County Citizens Against Chemical Toxins in Underground Storage, filed a petition for a contested case against the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, for the issuance of a 401 Water Quality Certification permit to Chambers Development of North Carolina, Inc. The petition was filed with in the office of administrative hearings in Raleigh.

CACTUS is joined in this suit by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League a multi-state grassroots organization of which CACTUS is a chapter and other individuals living in close proximity to the proposed landfill site.

The petition contends the proposed landfill would have significant and adverse impacts on the health and well being of members of CACTUS, BREDL, and the individual petitioners, and on their families.

"We believe the State agency exceeded its authority and acted outside of the laws of the State." explains Denise Lee, CACTUS President.  CACTUS believes the proposed landfill will degrade water quality and violate NC's water quality laws or regulations. In the petition several concerns were addressed:

· The accumulative impacts of the proposed landfill will have a significant and adverse impact on water quality;
· The Applicant and its parent company, Allied Waste Industries, Inc., have submitted an incomplete application;
· The Applicant is not financially qualified to carry out the activity for which the certification is required;
· The proposed landfill will have a disproportionate impact on an African-American and low-income community;
· The proposed landfill will cause odors, noise, dust, the increase in truck traffic, and other nuisance factors;
· Landfill activities in the flood plain and areas adjacent to the flood plain will directly affect water quality in wetlands, groundwater and the Brown Creek watershed;
· Leachate from the proposed landfill cannot be safely handled at the Anson County wastewater treatment plant;
· The proposed landfill will have a significant and adverse impact on fish, wildlife and other aquatic resources and their habitat;
· The application is incomplete because of inadequacies in Chambers' responses regarding the functions and values of the stream and wetland hydrology systems;
· The Applicant did not show that there are no alternative sites or other practical alternatives with fewer adverse impacts on wetlands and water quality.

For over nine years, Anson County citizens have had to battle three different companies who have tried to site a landfill in an area of Anson County known for its delicate environment. Anson County commissioners contracted with Chambers Development in 1991.  The contract now is in the possession of Allied Waste Industries, Incorporated.  The contract limits the landfill to accepting waste from only North and South Carolina.  Yet, in their application to the state, Allied admits to future plans to re-negotiate the contract to increase tonnage and service area. 

In the 1997-98 NC Division of Solid Waste annual report the division expressed concern that NC will be the next target for New York states' garbage when Fresh Kills Landfill closes in 2001. We believe Allied wants to be the answer to NY's dilemma and dump the waste in Anson County.

Citizens will show the state and county officials their determination to stop this landfill.  All previous county and state hearings on this landfill have seen standing room only in opposition.  Citizens realize Anson County needs a landfill but object tremendously to being to dumping ground for the U.S. 

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