Pensacola Joins Escambia In Opposition To Mega Conecuh Landfill

June 27, 2011

Pensacola has joined Escambia County and other area governments in opposing the permitting and construction of the planned 5,100 acre Conecuh Woods landfill near Repton, Alabama.

The resolution approved by the Pensacola City Council cites water quality concerns with the landfill upstream from Escambia and Pensacola bays, both of which are currently listed as “impaired” because they already do not meet Florida’s minimum water quality standards.

The Escambia County (Fla.) Commission voted earlier this month to join a lawsuit aimed at blocking the landfill that was initiated by the Town of Repton, Ala., and Repton Mayor Terri Carter. According to the Escambia County (Fla.) resolution, the county opposes the landfill because it poses a threat to Escambia River, Escambia Bay and Pensacola Bay, as well as the drinking water supply in the county.

In late April, attorneys filed the original suit in Conecuh County Circuit Court on behalf of Repton (pop. 280) and Carter seeking an injunction to block the 5,100 acre Conecuh Woods landfill. The landfill was approved 3-2 by the Conecuh County Commission just a week before the lawsuit was filed contending that the application violated applicable law and the public did not have ample opportunity to comment on the proposal.

Escambia County (Ala.), Atmore, Flomaton, Brewton and Orange Beach have also joined, or plan to join, the lawsuit. The Escambia County (Fla.) Soil and Water Conservation District also passed a resolution against permitting the landfill.

Conecuh Woods’ landfill, will include a 1,600 acre “disposal cell” from Range to Repton to near the Big Escambia Creek. Big Escambia Creek flows southward into Escambia County, Alabama, Flomaton and drains through a North Escambia swamp into the Escambia River and then into Escambia and Pensacola bays.

Pictured: Repton (Ala.) Mayor Terry Carter explains her position against the landfill to the Century Town Council earlier this year. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “Pensacola Joins Escambia In Opposition To Mega Conecuh Landfill”

  1. just me on June 27th, 2011 6:32 pm

    Let’s start from the ground up .. perhaps there should be a tax on disposable goods depending on the biodegradable rate. I remember when the 1st plastic zipper bags were introduced .. I used to wash them out and REUSE them! Of course that’s just scraping the surface .. there used to be someone who could fix your toaster or vacuum cleaner but now it’s cheaper to buy a new one. (Puns intended .. perhaps one should begin the recyling process before it hits the trash.)

  2. big rock bather on June 27th, 2011 2:14 pm

    landfill , sewerplant,papermills up stream,,,what difference does it make? , you have to dispose of waste. if they were to install a trash burner and utilize the generated energy ,, that would cut costs to the general public that is realy paying the price. you dont have to eat the fish you can always throw them back,.

  3. WHAT!! on June 27th, 2011 1:27 pm

    JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! With work so scarce and they want to fight this. If they are so concerned with the water quaily then they need to fight to close International Paper in Cantonment and Solutia in Ensley. Those 2 places dump just as much into the water system as any landfill. The foul odor that comes from the papermill is H2S (Hydogen Sulfide Gas). This is a very deadly gas. With the right concentration of this gas it will cause death.

    I agree with Steve, increase the monitoring and maintain a high level of contanment and the water quality will be fine. I bet the landfill in Pensacola is dumping runoff into the water system.

  4. Connie S Howington on June 27th, 2011 1:23 pm

    Applause for Pensacola. In response to Steve, we already have a landfill not 7 miles from the proposed site that is capable of handling our trash. We DO NOT NEED another landfill in the area. I agree that recycling is the answer–unfortunately the American public, and this area especially, do not want to listen to the recycling argument. We have our work cut out for us in that venue; but we need to get rid of this landfill issue first! Increased monitoring is great–but at the first indication of leakage it will be too late–it will be in the groundwater by then.

  5. Thad Evans on June 27th, 2011 1:01 pm

    The garabage in our area does go somewhere. It goes to Timberlands Landfill in Escambia County. According to studies, Timberlands is nowhere near capacity and a landfill is not needed to meet the solid waste needs of the county at this time. Additionally, we are not dealing with a small landfill, but a mega landfill-one that will possibly be the largest in the nation. Do we want other state’s garbage? No, we don’t. It is also a proven fact that no landfill is environmentally safe. They all leak. I am adamantly opposed to this landfill that is set to be located less than a mile from my home. If you have ever expereienced a landfill firsthand, you would understand my opposition. The developer of this landfill, Mr. Donald “Jimmy” Stone has a track record of not following environmental guidelines, not to mention the fact that he has called the people of Conecuh County liars on numerous occasions where he has been proven wrong. The people of Conecuh County and surrounding areas are overwhelmingly opposed to the landfill. Despite this, the Conecuh County Commission let their constituents down by allowing this to go forward. We have only one choice left: fight for what is right. NO DUMP!!!

  6. bjay on June 27th, 2011 10:13 am

    I agree with Steve. It has to go somewhere. Focus on bulding it right and everyone will be fine.

  7. 429SCJ on June 27th, 2011 8:31 am

    I guess it and everything else, does flow down hill, Lord let us fight, the good fight!

  8. Steve Prichard on June 27th, 2011 7:57 am

    Listen. I am not thrilled with the idea this mega landfill could be located north of Flomaton where my children and familiy live. However, think of the loads of trash each of us haul out of our homes each week. Where are we thinking it ends up? It has to go somewhere. In the end a landfill is going to happen for disposal. Focus on increased state monitoring for leakage and contamination. Focus on recycling. This dead horse is tired of being beat.