Local Governments Win Battle: Judge Nixes Conecuh Woods Landfill

September 4, 2013

An Alabama judge has ruled that approval for the proposed Conecuh Woods Landfill in Repton, AL, is null and void — preventing the construction of a regional landfill in Conecuh County, AL.

The landfill would have accepted solid waste from over 20 states. Many local governments joined in the lawsuit because the proposed 5,100 landfill would have included a 1,600 acres “disposal cell” to be located near the Big Escambia Creek which flows southward through Flomaton, into North Escambia swamps, then the Escambia River and eventually into Pensacola Bay.

The Conecuh County Commission approved the application of Conecuh Woods, LLC for the landfill in March 2011. Upon the approval of the application, the Town of Repton and its mayor, Terri Carter, filed suit against the Conecuh County Commission and Conecuh Woods, LLC seeking a declaratory judgment that the approval of the application was arbitrary and  in violation of applicable state law.

Repton also alleged the Conecuh commission faiiled to ensure adequate public opportunity to comment on the proposed landfill and sought an injunction blocking the construction of the proposed landfill.

In June 2011, Escambia County (FL) joined the litigation. Atmore, Brewton, Flomaton, Orange Beach and Escambia County in Alabama joined the suit, as did Century and the Escambia County Soil and Water Conservation District.

The Escambia County Commission voted to authorize the county attorney’s office to represent Century and the ECSWD at no cost to either entity.

Conecuh Woods still has time to file an appeal.

Pictured top: Repton, Alabama, Mayor Terri Carter addressed the Century Town Council  in opposition to a proposed 5,100 acre landfill in Conecuh County, AL. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

7 Responses to “Local Governments Win Battle: Judge Nixes Conecuh Woods Landfill”

  1. AndrewLantern on September 13th, 2013 3:55 pm

    Justice has been done. Maybe the US Attorney should talk to the commissioners who voted for it.

  2. melodies4us on September 7th, 2013 12:08 am

    Praise The Lord !

  3. OldPhoneRep on September 6th, 2013 4:39 pm

    The Conecuh Co. Commissioners who voted for this did not run for reelection. There is a word for what they tried to do, but it is not fit to print. The money still talked, and no one is making them abide by the court order that was issued to release the names.

  4. MEL on September 5th, 2013 8:30 pm

    I would love to know who the stock holders were in this venture. It might be a big
    surprise to the people in the surrounding area who they were.

  5. FL Girl on September 5th, 2013 8:34 am

    Praise God that this was stopped!!

  6. avalon on September 4th, 2013 10:46 am

    Much appreciation to everyone who fought a hard, looong battle to stop this project.

  7. RB on September 4th, 2013 5:19 am

    Why did the citizens and local governments have to spend thousands of dollars if the Conecuh County Commission failed to follow the law? I’m sure thousands would not even begin to cover the cost of fighting this legal battle.
    I wonder how the past election went for the commissioners that approved this landfill?
    Thanks to all that helped make this happen for the citizens of Conecuh County and those that would be affected by possible water contamination in the future.