Century Joining Battle Against Conecuh Woods Landfill

July 12, 2011

The Town of Century has joined several area governments in opposing the permitting and construction of the planned 5,100 acre Conecuh Woods landfill near Repton, Alabama.

Monday night, the Century Town Council voted to join Escambia County (Fla.) in a lawsuit aimed at blocking the landfill. The lawsuit  was initiated by the Town of Repton, Ala., and Repton Mayor Terri Carter.

A resolution approved by the Town of Century expressed specific concerns over water quality for the Escambia River. Century is currently working toward new certifications for their wastewater treatment plant, which discharges into the Escambia River. The town’s resolution said the town is concerned that any water quality problems as a result of the Conecuh Woods landfill could impede that certification.

The Pensacola  City Council also recently voted to join the lawsuit, citing 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 because 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. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

One Response to “Century Joining Battle Against Conecuh Woods Landfill”

  1. geff george on July 14th, 2011 4:30 pm

    You know things are getting upscale when century joins repton in alawsuit. Now i aint one to critize but I think a bigger problem for repton is geooing their dozer cranked so the can start their urban by bulldizing down that eyesore they call a town. iguess scince our county is crossing state lines, the next thing they should undertake is the smog in L A. .now theres a problem, I almost smelled some of it just this week. or was that sweet smell the papermill.bet if all that garbage went into connecuh river it would smell better than that mill……………………………..