Stop The Conecuh Woods Landfill!

An uncivil action in Maine

2009-10-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

ALEX BEAM
An uncivil action in Maine
By Alex Beam, Globe Columnist | March 8, 2006

'Boston Legal" goes to Portland, Maine, this week with a real-life episode -- the latest battle in a long-running lawyergeddon pitting two famous, charismatic lawyers against each other.

A few years ago, Jan Schlichtmann and Thomas Sobol got the idea to file a class-action lawsuit against Maine-based water purveyor Poland Spring, alleging impurities in its water supply. Schlichtmann gained fame as the protagonist of Jonathan Harr's best-selling book, ''A Civil Action," and was portrayed by John Travolta in the movie. Sobol has cachet of his own. He was the star witness in Massachusetts's successful 2003 attempt to reduce its billion-dollar legal bill in the landmark anti-tobacco litigation. I once described Sobol as ''closely resembling Bruce Springsteen before the Boss started showing his age."

In a trial that may last three weeks, expect to see Schlichtmann take the stand against his former colleague and friend, who is being sued by former clients of the two men. ''It's very distressing and tragic," Schlichtmann says. ''To this day I'm astonished that we've ended up in this position." Paparazzi alert! Eco-pol Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to testify, as his New York-based Keeper Springs water company (''where all our profits are donated to the environment") has been enmeshed in the multistate, down-and-dirty battle of mutually assured character destruction.

In a nutshell, Schlichtmann, Sobol, the gravel-voiced criminal defense specialist Max Stern, and Alabama lawyer Garve Ivey mounted a two-pronged assault in 2002 on Poland Spring, which is owned by Switzerland-based Nestle Group. There was the class-action suit, and also business litigation on behalf of Keeper Springs, Glenwood Farms, and two other water companies. After litigation filed in Massachusetts, Maine, and Illinois, Schlichtmann negotiated a $20 million settlement of the business claims and likewise settled the class-action suit. As a Poland Spring customer, I happened to be a ''beneficiary" of the latter suit. I recall receiving some measly coupons that I never bothered to cash in.

Sobol, Ivey, and Stern objected to the settlements. To say that feelings are still raw would be an understatement. ''Nestle put some money on the table, which was not enough for everybody," says Stern, ''and Jan said, 'What we'll do is we'll screw the class.' "

''Schlichtmann bastardized the entire class-action process to get his payoff from Nestle," says Ivey, who has negotiated his way out of being a defendant at the Portland trial. ''This whole [Maine] lawsuit is a figment of Jan's overactive imagination. He generated this lawsuit by former clients of ours to run Tom Sobol off the litigation." (Sobol declined to comment.)

''They are trying to create this bogeyman to justify the unjustifiable -- betraying their clients," retorts Schlichtmann. ''Contrary to the wishes and desires of their clients, they tried to destroy the possibility of a settlement. You can't spin this any other way."

In the original Maine complaint -- there is parallel litigation in Massachusetts, just to confuse you -- two of Sobol's former clients, Glenwood Farms and Carrabassett Spring Water, are suing him for attempting to derail the proposed settlements. Glenwood Farms, which is now part of Nestle, filed an eight-count claim against Sobol, alleging that his acts ''were so outrageous that malice toward Glenwood can be implied." It asks for unspecified damages and court costs.

''It's a dangerous situation for Tom, because he's being tried on the home turf of Poland Spring," says Stern. ''What he's really being tried for is doing what was right and what his conscience told him what to do."

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U.S. Senator Richard Shelby Opposes Landfill

2008-02-06T05:38:00.000-08:00

EVERGREEN, AL - Senator Richard Shelby addressed the concerns of Conecuh County citizens about out-of-state garbage coming into Alabama. “It is not a good image of the state to bring in garbage. We have the technology to develop and create energy where the garbage is developed. I would fight to keep a landfill out of my county also.”

When asked about water contamination issues near the existing Timberlands Landfill, Shelby had this to say:

Senator Shelby stated he was not knowledgeable of the mercury con-taminated soil being moved to the landfill in Escambia County, but he would not drink the water if he lived that close to a landfill.

A pro-landfill advocate speaks and U.S. Senator Shelby definitively reponds:

Evergreen resident Mike Fordham introduced himself as a supporter of the proposed landfill, and stated that the landfill was going to be a solid waste treatment facility for green energy. Several people in attendance objected saying this has never been proposed. Mr. Fordham said unlawful garbage dumps are a problem in this county because of the lack of garbage service, and this would be a solution. Senator Shelby answered “I don’t want garbage from New Jersey or any other state coming into Alabama. Conecuh County, and every county, should have a county-wide garbage pick-up service and the commissioners should be the ones to implement, control and support this service.”

Where Are They At?

2008-01-21T08:59:00.000-08:00

Some of my contacts in the greater Monroe-Conecuh County area have told me that they see a sparseness of activity around the headquarters of the Conecuh Woods Landfill in Evergreen. What's going on? Are they folding their tents or gathering strength for a coming battle? Maybe they would rather be in Florida for the winter months or should I have said New York. I spoke by phone with one of the opposition team and there was high confidence all around.

New subject: Since Mayor Bloomberg of New York City is exporting all his trash down South, and now is considering a presidential run, I wonder who his campaign manager in Conecuh County will be? I'll let you know as soon as I find out.

More growth for south Alabama, why do we want a landfill?

2007-12-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

The economic impact of Thyssen-Krupp is already having its influence on south Alabama. Soon a new aircraft assembly plant maybe coming to Mobile making it the Seattle of the Gulf Coast. This article and interview in Marketplace tells it all:

Doug Krizner: European plane maker Airbus is reportedly considering a new factory in Alabama. A weak dollar and a soaring euro are the reasons why.

Let's bring in David Gow from London's Guardian newspaper. David, you describe this as the chief of Airbus issuing a wake-up call for Europe.

David Gow: Those were the words he used. He said that Europe has to wake up to the decline of the dollar and the impact that this has on European industry and manufacturing in particular. That it's going to force companies to outsource or relocate more and more of its production to the dollar zone.

Krizner: Now, is the relationship between the dollar and the euro a life-threatening situation for Airbus, do you think?

Gow: Yes. Because basically, every 10 cents fall in the value of the dollar costs Airbus 1 billion euros, which in American terms is the equivalent of $1.4-$1.5 billion.

Krizner: So you are reporting in your article for the Guardian that Airbus officials are confirming that they are considering a plan to set up this new factory in Alabama. What would they produce there?

Gow: First of all, they would produce, if they win the Pentagon contract for these air-to-air refueling planes, they would build them there. But at the same time, they could also build parts for planes which would be destined for the U.S. airlines.

Krizner: So I want to zero in here. What you're saying, then, is that this entire move toward Alabama is contingent upon Airbus winning the Pentagon contract, or not?

Gow: That's right. There's a huge -- it's one of the biggest lobbying campaigns in aerospace that the military in America you've seen for many, many a year. Supposedly, a decision will be taken early next year.

Krizner: David Gow is business report for The Guardian in London. We've been speaking to him this morning from Brussels. David, thanks so much.

Gow: OK, thank you!

With the spinoff industry that will come from Thyssen-Krupp and Airbus why do the citizens of Monroe,Conecuh,and Escambia County want to settle for the nation's largest trash dump?

Property Values and Landfills - It ain't pretty

2007-12-12T06:02:00.000-08:00

Do you think Mayor Bloomberg of New York City gives a damn about where his vast amount of trash goes when it leaves on a train or barge each day? The South is rapidly becoming the dumping ground for trash from New York and other large urban areas. Reducing their trash raises their property values and lowers ours.

Growing up in Maryville, Tennessee frequently I would hear my peers comparing notes on where their daddies worked. The most common answer was the "plant." The plant was the Aluminum smelter and rolling mill in Alcoa, Tennessee. It was a good thing to work at the "plant." It provided a good income, great health care, and a substantial retirement. Kids had a certain amount of pride about their daddies working at the plant.

What will generations of children in rural south Alabama say when they compare notes with their peers? My daddy works at the largest "dump" in the United States. Somehow I don't think this is the dream that south Alabamians want for their children. I also don't think their children will want to inherit property that will have less relative value than when their parents owned it before the landfill

This comes from Propex:

Proximity to landfills and hazardous waste sites can severely affect property values. Any property close to an active landfill will probably be devalued as a matter of course. Depending on how close the property lies to the site, whether the site is still active, and (if not active) if the waste has been properly encapsulated or removed, the value of a tract of land or home could be affected in many different ways. For example, if an active landfill is declared "closed" and proper measures are taken to ensure that there is no risk of contamination from the waste therein, the value of a nearby property may rise from the low value it had from being located near an active waste site. Devalued property may further regain some of its previous value if the former waste site is improved or developed commercially. However, if the waste site is not properly closed and encapsulated, or if waste leaks into the surrounding properties while or after it is active, property values may be irreversibly lowered.

Would the Conecuh County Commission be willing to make a guarantee to county residents to make up the difference between land values before the landfill and AFTER the landfill, and give that guarantee in writing to each property owner? Ask them...

New York City's Long Term Trash Export Program

2007-12-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

I'm making a guess as to how this landfill crisis started. In September, 2006, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of the City of New York, totally revamped the city's solid waste management plan.

In 2006 Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation establishing a new solid waste management plan, which will use barges and trains to export 90% of the city’s 12,000 daily tons of residential trash. Under the previous scheme trucks and tractor-trailers were used for 84% of the trash

Translated: Too much truck traffic hauling trash out of New York. Solution: Export it by rail and barge to remote locations. Here are some excerpts of the plan:

*Reducing the City’s dependence on transport by transfer trailer to disposal sites is a priority. Some 93% of all truck-transferred DSNY-managed Waste is disposed in landfills and most of the landfills under contract are within a radius of 200 miles of the City. A combination of factors is causing the depletion of this capacity and an increase in disposal price. The recent re-bidding of some Interim Export contracts that rely on truck transport to landfills has reflected an average increase of 19% over the initial contract prices.

* Remote disposal capacity remains available, but truck-based transfer to these sites is not economically viable.

* Developing a barge/rail transport system capable of accessing this remote capacity could offset potential increases in disposal costs.

* Developing a long-term solution should be equitable to the greatest extent possible.

* Any long-term solution should be able to be implemented without causing significant adverse impact

When Mayor Bloomberg signed that document in September of 2006, he created a tremendous opportunity for landfill and waste disposal interests. The only requirement was being able to receive the trash. If a landfill had a railhead so much the better. If it was in short commuting distance from a port to receive barge traffic that would be good too.

Conecuh Woods is close to a railhead in Range,Alabama and is only 72 miles from the Port of Pensacola and 79 miles from the Port of Mobile. Here's a scenario:

You are a landfill entrepreneur, think about it, 12,000 tons of trash a day flowing in by barge and rail from New York City. It makes you want to salivate.My God all that money! It reminds one of the Dire Straits songs: Money for Nothing. When you listen to song change the chorus to ...money for nothing and the trash is free.

Until next time...

Have Pro-Landfill Forces Politicized the Battle?

2007-12-05T04:43:00.000-08:00

With the defacto mouthpiece of the Conecuh Woods Landfill being a former Alabama Democratic State Executive Director, has Conecuh Woods politicized the process? Does this mean that Democratic Chairmen in Monroe, Escambia, and Conecuh counties have been enlisted in the big money fight to bring an environmental atrocity to Southwest Alabama? If you are opposed to the landfill and live in one of the most affected counties mentioned above, you might want to ask your local Democratic chairman if they are opposed to the landfill or for it. You might want to ask them what their relationship is to Conecuh Woods mouthpiece and former State Democratic Executive Director, Phillip Kinney.

In case you don't know who your local Democratic chairmen are, I am happy to provide contact information for you:

Conecuh: The Honorable Tommy Chapman home: 251-578-1406 work 251-578-4977

Monroe: Mr. Milton Coxwell home 251-743-4055 work 251-575-2146

Escambia: Mr. Reo Kirkland Jr. home 251-578-5115 work 251-867-5711

Just so you don't think that I am invading these gentleman's privacy by publishing their phone numbers, this information is easily accessible on the State Democratic website.

See praise for Monroe Journal's courageous reporting on the landfill issue.

The Secretive World of Matrix

2007-12-04T15:02:00.000-08:00

Phillip Kinney, former Alabama Democratic Party executive director, representing Matrix,a public relations firm based in Montgomery, is the new defacto "mouthpiece" for the Conecuh Woods Landfill people. What happened to Patrick Slevin. Who is Matrix? Is this the the same organization that was founded by Joseph W. "Joe" Perkins Jr.?

Though the firm employs researchers, a lawyer and several people who lobby the Legislature, the Matrix Group is primarily associated with one man: its founder, 51-year-old Joseph W. "Joe" Perkins Jr.

In political circles, Perkins is regarded as one of Alabama's premier practitioners of "opposition research" - the art of finding something potentially controversial about someone, usually a politician, then molding it into a message that can be put before the public.

Perkins and other members of his firm, for example, played key roles in the effort by Jasper lawyer Garve Ivey, a former officer in the state trial lawyers association, to promote a prostitute's tale that Steve Windom of Theodore - a state senator running for lieutenant governor - had raped and beaten her.

Perkins, who lives in Tuscaloosa but travels frequently to Montgomery, is said by political insiders to be one of Gov. Don Siegelman's valued advisers on policy and politics, and is expected to play a role in his 2002 re-election campaign.

Ironic, but in his early career, the founder of Matrix once campaigned against the waste industry:

The Perkins-run campaign hammered Marietta Lyons for a $1,000 donation she had received in 1986 from the waste industry. Leaflets showed a man in a gas mask standing next to a large can labeled, "Hazardous Waste," and overflowing with cash. "Another campaign contribution for Beth Marietta," it stated.

All of the above quotes come from a Mobile Register article that is several years old. Click here to view the entire article.

I don't know if Phillip Kinney of Matrix representing the Conecuh Woods group is representing the same Matrix I have referenced above, but if he is, then all I can say to the anti-landfill forces in Conecuh County is that you are now pitted against some heavy hitters. This comes from a blog called Doc's Political Parlor

District 13 (Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Lee, Randolph):
Sen. Gerald Dial’s race for his ninth term in the legislature was supposed to be an easy win for the incumbent. But, Randolph Circuit Clerk Kim Benefield’s full coffers have allowed her to buy a lot of expensive Birmingham TV time to show her ads in Lineville. Former state Democratic Party Chair Phillip Kinney now does opposition research for Matrix. Kinney told one of the senators in the Preuitt group that they could not find anything negative on Benefield and that they were going to have to make something up. That is why you get the ad that tries to connect Benefield with Barron who “used $5,000 of your money to pay a shoeshine man to shine shoes for senators.” I must admit that if that is the worst thing you can say about Benefield, you are really stretching. Especially since news reports said that it was Sen. Bobby Denton (D - Muscle Shoals) who paid $5,000 to the shoeshine man (though Barron approved the payment from money allotted to Denton).

Surely, surely, surely..., the Phillip Kinney referenced above and the Phillip Kinney representing Conecuh Woods aren't one and the same.

Well friends, he is representing the TRASH business, isn't he ...

Until next time...

Editorial from November 29 edition of Monroe Journal

2007-11-29T13:01:00.000-08:00

Committee decision to support landfill was wrong

Last week a committee appointed by the Conecuh County Commission recommended that the construction of a controversial landfill in the county would be safe. This recommendation is wrong. It has been proven by studies that landfills will eventually leak.

If not for the promised windfall for Conecuh County from the proposed landfill, the landfill would not stand a chance of ever being approved by the Conecuh County Commission.

When considering whether to allow this landfill to come to this region we hope the Conecuh County Commissioners will consider that enough damage has been done to our environment through other venues over many, many years.

Recent evidence that global warming is actually a major problem and could threaten our very existence if it goes unchecked has many people eager to do what they can to put the brakes on this runaway train.

We agree that Conecuh County is an economically stressed county as is most all the counties in southwest Alabama, but indications are that this could change soon.

The world’s largest steel mill will be constructed over the next two years in north Mobile County and other industries are starting to look south of Montgomery for sites.

Instead of choosing to allow Conecuh County to become well known as the county with one of the world’s largest landfills, we’d like to see the Conecuh County Commission do the right thing and reject the landfill development.

It’s time for the Conecuh County Commissioners to do what they were elected to do – serve the people by doing what is best for the people and the county they live in.
Conecuh’s commissioners should forget the landfill and place more emphasis on a more worthwhile project – the development of a recreational reservoir. They should exhaust every avenue possible to secure the funds to conduct the environmental survey that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently approved.

This lake/reservoir could be the economic salvation that Conecuh County’s leaders are looking for so it should be priority No. 1 – not whether or not to allow the nation’s largest landfill to be constructed.

Conecuh County has survived many years of hard economic times without a multi-million dollar landfill and the people of Conecuh County will continue to find other ways to beat the economic woes.

Prophecy?

2007-09-13T03:17:00.000-07:00

In late 2003, I began publishing online a work of fiction about a murder in a small sleepy Alabama community. Later I published the same work in print form. One subplot focused on a fictional landfill that posed a danger to Crawfordville, my fictional community. The controversy over Conecuh Woods and the alleged leakage in the Timberlands landfill was still in the future when I wrote "The Publisher." This is the introduction to Chapter Nine:

Crawfordville, Alabama – the present

The landfill was located in the northeastern portion of Big Creek County. It covered just less than 300 acres. The popular former state executive who owned the landfill had seen to it, prior to leaving office that the Big Creek County Environmental Corporation got every break it legally could in the permitting process. Consequently, the Big Creek County Landfill had the largest daily tonnage capacity of any of the thirty state permitted landfills in Alabama. 2500 tons a day of solid waste doesn’t seem like much until you convert the figure to 5,000,000 pounds per day extended to 1,800,000,000 pounds per year. Given that Big Creek County had a population of only 30, 000 that figured out to 167 pounds of trash per day per resident of the county.

Big Creek County Environmental Corporation would bankrupt itself if it had to depend on Big Creek County and its various municipalities to supply 2500 tons of trash per day, so various arrangements and contracts had been made with 24 other Alabama counties; 4 counties in Florida, and 8 counties in Mississippi and Texas to make up the difference. Eighteen wheelers rolled to the Big Creek Landfill from all directions. Trash from Pensacola, Mobile, Montgomery, Houston and even trash from the casinos in Biloxi and Gulfport made its way to Crawfordville on a daily basis. From five miles in all directions the rich soured scent of the landfill was present and pervasive. Highway damage and increased levels of spilled trash on the right-of -way had become a problem. The quality of personnel manning the landfill was a much bigger problem, however, than spilled trash...

The landfill was self-monitored. Ideally each truck carrying solid waste into the fill was inspected and weighed with any illegal waste being turned away. Prohibited hazardous waste and medical wastes made their way into the Big Creek County Landfill for an "under the table" fee. Once a local environmental activist complained and she was hounded out of town for being a "nutcase". The politicized Environmental Protection Agency was called in to investigate, but would not release their findings until a Montgomery based environmental watchdog group sued. The EPA investigation was summed up as, Question: "Did you fellows break the law?" Answer: "No we didn't break any laws." EPA response: "Well that sounds good enough for us, sorry to bother you." The EPA declared the case closed without ever testing the landfill, performing any stakeouts or surveillance, nor conducting any type of investigation.

Meanwhile, in the landfill itself, a concoction of toxic chemicals, organics, and trace metals had conglomerated themselves into a mixture known as a plume that was seeping towards an unexpected crack in the low permeable liner of the landfill. Below the liner was the water table. Crawfordville was downstream and eleven miles away....

Click here for purchase information on The Publisher

Escambia County Alabama passes resolution opposing Conecuh Woods Landfill

2007-06-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

Although, the Escambia County Alabama Commission's recent resolution does not have the weight of law behind it, the commissions recent resolution opposing the Conecuh Woods Landfill cannot be of any comfort to the Florida landfill developers trying to push this monster down south Alabamians throats.

Foreign Trash?

2007-06-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

Since, obviously, the Conecuh Woods landfill is intended to be a super large money-making operation - the largest such enterprise in the United States, I wonder if it will be their long term intention to import foreign trash. If I hadn't seen a brief news flash about this on Fox, I wouldn't have believed what I heard. Some U.S. landfills are taking trash from other countries! I know we are definitely taking trash from Canada, but where else are we taking trash from? I intend to research this further. Meanwhile...

Until next time...

Black Gold Under Prosposed Landfill?

2007-05-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Oil money people are in conflict with garbage money people. I wonder who will win? Read a portion of an article by Josh Dewberry of The Monroe Journal:

The Conecuh County Commission heard from the grassroots group trying to stop a proposed 5,115-acre landfill near Repton Monday afternoon, and the Citizens for a Clean Southwest Alabama (CCSA) found a new ally in the fight. Mark Robinson, vice-president of mineral management and legal for Black Stone Minerals in Houston, Texas, spoke on behalf of the mineral right owners on the property where the proposed landfill would be located.” We think this could be another Little Cedar Creek field,” Robinson said. “Black Stone owns 40-percent of the mineral rights to the property and a landfill on the property would stop us from exploring the oil and mineral deposits.”

The Little Cedar Creek field is near Brooklyn in Conecuh County and has some of the most productive wells discovered along the Gulf Coast in nearly three decades.

“This property sits on top of the Smackover Pinchout, which is the same one as the Little Cedar Creek field,” Robinson said. “We already have a company that wants to shoot 3D seismic images of the property.”

Conecuh County has made a windfall off oil taxes in the past few years because of Little Cedar Creek and other fields.

Conecuh Woods, the company trying to build the landfill, spokesman Patrick Slevin said Tuesday because of the amount of property that will be reserved for buffer that mineral right negotiations can be undertaken.

“Mineral rights negotiations go on every day,” Slevin said. “We are confident that we can negotiate a satisfactory result. Because 70-percent of the 5,115 acres will be earmarked for buffers and non-disposal use, most of the property will remain unchanged.”

To read the entire article or get more information, contact:

Josh Dewberry
Journal Staff Writer
The Monroe Journal
Ph: 251-575-3282
Fax: 251-575-3284
www.monroejournal.com

DECEPTION, MYTH, AND REALITY

2007-04-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

[Editor's note: These are recent comments made by George M. Jervey, M.D. Dr. Jervey is one of the brave warriors at the forefront of the fight to stop possibly one of the largest environmental atrocities in rural America.His comments were made to the Conecuh County Commission. At the meeting Dr. Jervey had supporting material to back up his presentation. I have omitted them in this blog for the sake of brevity. Communicate with me if you need clarification on any of the points and I will contact Dr. Jervey.]

Good afternoon.

Friends and neighbors, thank you for coming to this meeting. I hope to share with you some information on the proposed dump in Conecuh County. I have been fairly verbal in my opposition, and I will not burden you by repeating what you have already read and heard. I have copies of previous letters and comments if you care to review them. I will broadly cover their content by saying that through the research I have done, I have become more steadfast in my beliefs. The threats to the surface and ground water, to our health, to the environment, to our way of life, to the endangered wildlife, and to the County and State as a whole are real and potentially severe.

Today I would like to take a different approach. First, I will discuss the question of infrastructure. I want to discuss an aspect of the infrastructure that we seldom think about. That is fire and fire control. There are an average of 8300 dump fires per year in the United States. Admittedly, this includes all dumps and all kinds of fires. My point being that it is not an uncommon event. When these fires occur in refuse dumps, they are difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to extinguish. They frequently burn for months below ground. The bigger the dump, the more difficult the problem. It requires large amounts of water so heavy equipment can dig the fire out and spread it out over the surface of the ground to extinguish it. At a dump fire in Vancouver, Canada it required 520,800 gallons of water over two days just to gain control to begin digging out the fire. At another dump, a construction waste dump, they attacked the fire with water pumps at a rate of 22,280 gallons / minute. This reveals several problems. A class A fire truck is required to pump 500 gallons / minute. It would appear that one could hook up four or five class A fire trucks to achieve these volumes, but even so they would not be able to achieve this volume. The Hamden Ridge Water System’s main supply line along US Hwy. 41 is six inches in diameter and under a resident pressure of 50 to60 pounds /sq. in. The maximum amount of water that can flow through the system is 555 gallons / minute. It makes no difference how many trucks you employ; there is not enough water available through the system. The amount available, 555 gallons / minute is woefully insufficient to control a fire of any significant magnitude. The Hamden Ridge Water System’s capacity is 350,000 gallons. It is re-supplied at a rate of 200 gallons / minute. One truck pumping at 500 gallons / minute results in a net loss to the system of 300 gallons / minute. In 19 hours and 27 minutes the system will be empty. Total volume pumped will be approximately 580,000 gallons. The Repton Water System has a similar size system and an 80 pound/ sq. inch resident pressure, but only a 50,000 gallon capacity. Initially it could pump a little more water per minute, but would be empty in 2 hours and 47 minutes. These figures and calculations are based on optimal conditions, no loss of pressure in the system, no other water loss from the system, and no consideration for loss of pressure or flow secondary to bends in the pipe, elbows, or other friction in the system.

The bottom line, we do not have the capacity to handle a refuse fire of any significant size.

Secondly, the potential threat to our water sources is much greater and potentially more far reaching than I initially presumed. There are five aquifers in the immediate area. Three traverse the area in question and the other two are immediately near by. Should they become contaminated the threat far exceeds the confines of Conecuh County. I am not a hydro geologist, but I do know these aquifers are refurbished by rivers, streams and ground water in general, and tend to flow slowly mostly in eddies, but water will always obey the first law of hydrodynamics. It will seek the lowest level; consequently, if one end of the aquifer is in a drought and not being replenished and/ or one end is in plentiful supply, then the over all flow will be to the lowest end.

I want to spend some time on the tactics and ploys being used against us. These gentlemen present a picture of large numbers attempting to lure us into believing it will improve the wealth of Conecuh County and suggest we might spend this money on our school system. They know these numbers are overwhelming to people who deal in electricity bills of couple of hundred dollars per month, house payments of $500 to $ 600 dollars per month, and every 5 to 6 years , maybe, $40,000 for a new vehicle, which we convert to $300 to $500 a month payments. They want us to concentrate on grasping what these big numbers really mean so we don’t really hear how they plan to rape Conecuh County. They want to reduce everything to a dollar value. The only thing to compare in dollars is relative amounts. It attempts to reduce our choices to “either/or”. It ignores the intangibles of principal, integrity, our way of life, and “doing what is right”.

Let me give you some figures to boggle your mind! They tell us the County will receive some 250 million dollars from this dump. When you consider the duration of its lifespan of 60 to 80 years, it doesn’t seem like very much money after all. There are those in the “waste management business” that say these sites should be managed for 500 years and then the money becomes more like a drop in the bucket. There are environmentalists that say they should be managed for 1000 years, and then the money becomes more like a drop in the ocean. Conecuh Woods has said that before they receive the first load of garbage they will have a 25 million investment. They anticipate receiving 10,000 tons of garbage per day. At $34.00 per ton this amounts to $340,000.00 per day and if they operate 350 days a year that amounts to $119,000,000.00 per year. This is 4.75 times initial investment in one year.

All these numbers are presented as fact, when in fact, they are imaginary. They are based on presumption, estimations, and projections. They are not real. They are imaginary. If you add a column of imaginary numbers you get an imaginary total. Its not something you can see, hear, feel, smell or taste. I have something for you that is real. These are pictures of a stream north of Fob Mountain [Timberlands Landfill in Escambia County, Alabama], and this is water taken from that stream. This is real. This is what you can expect for all the imaginary money.

They have suggested these imaginary numbers could be used to bolster our school system. They would have you believe that if we build a Taj Mahal of education and supply every student with a multi-gigabit computer that it will solve all our school problems. That, however, is far from the truth. There is nothing wrong with our school system that we can’t fix without this money. Our school system is the way it is because the Board of Education consolidated the schools of Conecuh County. As a result many of the students had long transient times to and from school, and their parents took them out of the Conecuh schools and put them in the schools of the neighboring counties.

The physical plant, aside from providing creature comforts, contributes very little to a students learning ability. I want to divert for a moment. Take a look at Abraham Lincoln. His TajMahal was a log cabin. He didn’t have electricity to drive a computer. His energy source was fire light and candle light. I don’t believe he have much money either, but he learned how to be one or our most beloved Presidents. Look at Luther Burbank. He was born on a small farm in Lancaster, Massachusetts, grew up in his mother’s garden, never got a college education, but it didn’t stop him from becoming the father of modern day scientific horticulture. Let me not forget Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver, both born into slavery. There were no schools for slaves. Booker T. Washington’s first experience with school was to carry books for his master’s daughter, but he went on to found the Tuskegee Institute, just up the road. What do we owe Mr. Carver for teaching us bout crop rotation, or what we could do the lowly peanut, the soy bean, and the sweet potato? These men had two things in common. None had a good material base for education, but they overcame that problem because of the second thing in common, motivation. Motivation is intangible. It is inherent to the individual, influenced by parents, family, friends, peers, and teachers. It can not be measured or bought with dollars. We do not need to build a monument to education, and if we do, it will be built to our own ignorance and stupidity. What we need to build is the intangible, motivation. It can’t be bought with money.

Conecuh Woods has presented aerial photographs of a number of dumpsites. In these they point out multimillion dollar industrial sites, housing developments, and recreational sites all near by the dump. Friends, bear in mind these dump sites are near large metropolitan area in the state of Florida with well developed municipal water systems so ground water contamination is of relatively little concern. Not so for us. Also Florida has one of the more aggressive solid waste management plans. They also have well developed infrastructures. What they don’t tell you is that these dumps have associated recycling centers and/or “waste to energy” facilities that process the garbage before it reaches the dump. In fact St. Petersburg boasts that only 15% of the garbage picked up reaches the dump. They are showing us one thing, but giving us another. It sort of comes across as a bait and switch tactic.

The dump locations close to large metropolitan areas are well placed for this kind of development. Not so for Range, Alabama. If we had the infrastructure to attract industry we would not be targeted to become the “Dump Capital of Alabama”. In a video of a dumpsite in Riverview, Michigan, they discuss the development of a ski slope on a closed dump slope. Perhaps a good choice if you have a million people next door in Detroit. We don’t have that asset in Range, AL. In large congested and densely populated areas land for expansion is at a premium. No wonder they claim land values improve. When all the most desire able land is taken, you take what you can get.

They also discussed in detail the construction of the multi layered liner to protect and prevent external contamination as if it were a hermetically sealed container, but when questioned further gave just as elaborate description of how to make repairs when leaks occurred. If these liners were as good as they try to portray them, why would repairs be necessary? Sounds like a concession that failure is expected. Well at least they are in good company because the EPA also concedes they will fail.

And speaking of the EPA, do we really want to trust our lives to them after their recent demonstration of “anal-cerebral’ thinking concerning the hazardous material in McIntosh, Alabama. It’s been considered contaminated for years. Now they say because it was produces prior the EPA regulations that EPA regulations don’t apply. Good rational for non prosecution, but dumb is respect to public safety and public health. They approved transport of this material to a dump not designed for toxic waste, instead to Emelle, Alabama, one of the most toxic sites in the North America. Making two for one may be a good move in the financial market, but a poor investment for the people they supposed to protect. Past performance usually predicts future behavior. Now you know what to expect in Conecuh County.

I also want to mention something else this dump will do for us. We will lose a renewable resource for many years. It also precludes the use of the land for any other uses for many years. We all know there are scattered pockets of oil in South Alabama. In fact, I believe, the County is receiving income from the operation in Brooklyn, Alabama. I am also told by a reliable source there are two favorable sites east of US Highway 41 currently under study for possible drill sites in the immediate future. If we obstruct exploration and drilling, these companies might just abandon Conecuh County entirely.

When this subject of a dump in Conecuh County, was initially discussed at the Conecuh County Commissioners’ meeting, Mr. Slevin said in his closing remarks that within the past two years he had purchased a piece of property in Jefferson County, Florida, a county that didn’t have a stoplight, and built a house a mile from a dump and that his property value had increased by 15%. What Mr. Slevin didn’t tell you was the dump he referred to is really a garbage collection site operated by Jefferson County and manned several hours in the morning and afternoon. Jefferson County has 12 to 15 such sites instead of garbage truck routes.( produces pictures of site) It is a collection of dumpsters that are periodically emptied or removed. It is a far cry from what he proposes for Conecuh County. His use of the word dump implies a connotation that doesn’t portray the whole truth.

In summary we have outlined the lack of infrastructure to support a dump of this size. The potential long reaching effects of aquifer contamination, some the gimmicks, ploys, and tactics by which these gentlemen are trying to persuade us to accept - something we know in our hearts to be bad for us, our county, our State, and the environment. Also the potential lost of income from other land uses. They have not lied to us, but they have used tactics to lead us to assumptions they want us to draw without telling us the whole truth. If we believe any thing these “gentlemen” have said to us, we will become the biggest collections of fools this side of the Mississippi.

We think we have presented strong factual grounds supporting our fears and concerns this dump will have on our way of life, our water, our health, our environment, our wildlife, and other potential land use. We strongly urge, plead, and beg the Commission to reject any dump in Conecuh County except for our immediate local needs.

To the gentlemen of Conecuh Woods, we humbly ask you to abandon your project of a dump in Conecuh County, and leave us as you found us, happy in our way of life and content in where we are,

Thank you.

George M. Jervey, M. D.

The Creative Patrick Slevin

2007-04-23T05:07:00.000-07:00

When I first started this blog, I received an email from a friend who pointed out that the Conecuh Commission had voted down the proposal to build the Conecuh Woods Landfill. He erroneously thought that the battle was over. WRONG!

There is too much money behind this proposed landfill to make it stop that easily. The battle goes on. This is truly a battle of rural "Davids" against a big, smelly, toxic, urban-based "Goliath." Anything the Conecuh Woods proponents say should be looked at dubiously.

Their spokesman, Patrick Slevin, is a case in point.

Today, in any public forum it seems...lying is now termed as "spin." According to a recent news report by Connie Baggett of the Mobile Register - back in January, Patrick Slevin made the statement that there was a landfill within a mile of his upscale home in Tallahassee, Florida. This was the spin. Here is the truth quoting from Baggett's article in the Register:

"[Johnny]Andrews said last week that members of Citizens for a Clean Southwest Alabama traveled to Florida and found Slevin's house, and discovered the "landfill" was actually two miles from Slevin's home, and is a waste collection site of a few acres where residents bring trash to be hauled away daily.

Slevin told a Press-Register reporter Wednesday that his January statement about the location of a landfill near his home was based on his misunderstanding of what a neighbor told him.

"It takes me off guard that people have hunted down my private residence," Slevin said. "I made a statement in January in front of the commission that I asked a neighbor when trash was picked up, and he said I had to take it to the dump a mile down the road.

"What was told to you was absolutely correct. I just moved into my new house and drove to the site, and it is two miles down the road," Slevin said. "You can blame semantics of my neighbor but I really don't think that makes this a story."

Now the hypocrisy in all of this is that Patrick Slevin arrogantly expresses indignation that a group of citizens would track him down to where he lives. This hired gun for the landfill developers does not care how many rural citizens of southwest Alabama are affected by the possible health and safety issues of Conecuh Woods, but he is miffed because anyone would check to see if he was telling the truth.

Patrick Slevin's lies found him out... Go get 'em Johnny Andrews!

Proposed Supersized Landfill in Rural Conecuh County, Alabama

2007-03-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Not only in Conecuh, but citizens in neighboring Escambia, Monroe, and surrounding counties are in a dither about a developer's plan to build an "environmentally friendly" landfill. Groups are organizing. Citizens are wearing green ribbons, and the Conecuh County Commission has caved to the pressure by rejecting the idea. The latter was somewhat premature because the developer has yet to submit an application.

In truth, however, given enough money, can any grassroots organization or government jurisdiction stop landfill development? There was opposition to the "Fob James" landfill in Escambia County, Alabama, but did that stop it? It is thriving - taking in garbage from at least three states if not more, defacing beautiful, once pristine land and causing a host of problems.

Here's the deal: Landfill developers search out rural counties where there is little established law or regulation to block them. These developers generally have the best lawyers to represent them and know ALL the arguments. The developers in the Conecuh County planned landfill have options on 5000 acres of property near the "Fob James" landfill. The land is owned by a large company involved in the insurance industry. Previously it was owned by giant paper products firm. It will be interesting to see if the options are renewed later this year given the public outcry. How much would an option on 5000 acres cost?

If a 1500 acre landfill were to be constructed out of this acreage it would be one of the largest in the United States. The largest is the Puente Hills Landfill near Los Angeles with 1365 acres. Big money here folks!

According to published reports mostly by Connie Baggett who is a correspondent for the Mobile Register, the principals in "Conecuh Woods," the landfill development company, are Donald W. "Jimmy" Stone and David W. Kirby, who, according to the public relations mouthpiece, Patrick Slevin, are both from the Tampa Bay area. I couldn't find out much on Mr. Stone, but Mr. Kirby is fairly interesting.

Kirby, according to Slevin, is also a regional manager for the Tenax Corporation which has a plant in Evergreen, Alabama. In Florida, Kirby is listed as a "landfill consultant."

Wondering why Kirby's employer would give him the time to go about developing landfills, I took a close look at Tenax themselves: Tenax, among other things, manufactures liners for landfills. Their main office is in Baltimore, Maryland and their president's name is Giovanni Capra. Capra is associated with several companies, one which is a leading manufacturer of sport gliders - Silent Alisport. Further checking reveals that the Chairman of the board of Tenax is Cesare Beretta who is also president and CEO of Advanced Geotech Systems which among other things does landfill design.

I also think it is interesting that Conecuh Woods has the resources and savvy to hire a top notch public relations firm to run interference for them. The Slevin Group based in Tallahassee, Florida is prepared to go to the wall to promote their client's interest. Read through their website and you get some idea of how they operate.

Despite the fact that I'm cheering for them, I don't think the anti-landfill crowd in south Alabama has a chance against the money that is going to be thrown into the legal battle. History has shown that landfill developers don't give up.

When I wrote my fictional book, The Publisher, a major sub-plot of the book was about a drug ring ran out of a network of landfill operations. I did a lot of research into landfills and almost lost track of my story because the subject of organized crime involvement in landfills was so fascinating. In the Northeast, organized crime families like the Genovese family*, made a fortune off of landfills. I came away from my landfill research convinced that it can be dangerous to your health to oppose certain landfill developers.

Good luck to the people in Conecuh County and Escambia County, Alabama in their fight.

Is Brewton Alabama in Danger?

2007-03-19T11:01:00.001-07:00

While residents of south central Alabama await the next move in the conflict between citizens and the Conecuh Woods landfill project, a sinister development with the existing Timberlands Landfill or popularly known as the "Fob James" landfill has arisen.

In an effort to "clean up" a landfill in Washington County, Alabama,the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has okayed Timberland Landfill near Brewton to accept 1000 truckloads of mercury laced waste. ADEM insists the mercury laced wastes are not hazardous.

Mercury, once ingested into the body does not leave. Lower IQ's due to mercury exposure is costing taxpayers over 8 billion dollars annually. Click to see article.

Brewton, Alabama already has a higher than normal incidence of the deadly disease lupus. Could there be any connection to pollutants in the water supply.

Politicians there, including the city council, and the Escambia County Commission don't seem to have a high level of interest in this subject.

I remember when "Fob" James was promoting his landfill, it seemed a large number of the commission was on the bandwagon to bring it to the area.

Brewton, Alabama and surrounding area have become targeted dumping grounds. Do you suppose its because of the lower IQ's of politicians who could do something about the problem.

Can you see a high school student from the area on a class trip being asked what his or her area of the country is known for, with an answer being, "We have the largest landfills in the U.S."

Pitiful my friends...

See Mobile Register article about Timberlands Landfill.

ARE LANDFILL ADVOCATES USING NAZI STYLE TACTICS?

2007-03-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

It is rare these days to hear of the press being barred from anything, but that is exactly what happened Monday, March 5th in Evergreen Alabama to press representation from the Monroe Journal. The respected news outlet was attempting to report on what was happening at a focus group meeting which was "focusing" on the Conecuh Woods Landfill project.

Dr. Jerry Ingram who was heading up the focus group barred the press from the meeting. "We are afraid the participants will not be as candid if there is a reporter in the room,” Ingram said. “It would be better if you weren’t in there.”

I wonder how the Conecuh County public is reacting to this rude and somewhat atrocious behavior? Sorry friends, they didn't get to vote. I suppose the developers see them as third class citizens.

Evergreen, Alabama is a town unfamiliar with "focus groups." Focus groups, my friends are clever social devices used to build a case to sell something unpalatable to an unsuspecting public. Politicians use them all the time... In this instance the something unpalatable is the Conecuh Woods Landfill. Focus groups are also used by top dollar lawyers when picking jurors in high profile cases. It helps them get an edge on the competition - who might be you!

Conecuh Woods already has as its lead public relations firm, The Slevin Group from Tallahassee, Florida. Do you suppose Slevin or Conecuh Woods is responsible for bringing in Southeast Research Inc., headed by Dr. Ingram, to manipulate the public to swallow the massive amount of world class garbage destined for rural Conecuh County?

On their website, Southeast Research says this about focus groups:

"Focus groups are an excellent form of exploratory research used to gain a better understanding of your marketing or public opinion problem, generate creative ideas and assist in narrowing the issues that need to be researched in depth. Because focus groups are conducted in a relaxed setting, they are an excellent device for testing new concepts and ideas with the public."

Manipulation my friends. That's what this is all about. The participants in this focus group were even PAID to share their ideas. How fair and balanced was that? We need to find out the names of these paid participants and find out what was really said in that meeting since the press was barred.

Adolph Hitler didn't like the press either...

Who do you suppose is paying Dr. Ingram's fee? I bet his focusing doesn't come cheap! In fact, doing a little research myself, It looks like Dr. Ingram's firm is hitting the Alabama taxpayer up for $34,000 in a contract with the state Public Health agency. If I were the citizens of Conecuh County I would be checking to see if the Alabama Department of Environmental Management is using focus groups and who they're contracting with to conduct them.

Here's a tip, good folks of Conecuh County: Start looking for lifestyle changes of your elected officials who can vote on this issue. Anybody bought a new car? A new house? A new ring? Always follow the money! Sometimes it doesn't take much "green joy" spread around in the right places to get a positive response. Just remember, if any of your elected officials takes money for a vote and is caught - the food is terrible, but the rent is free!

Until next time...

[Editor's note]The story below is reprinted with permission. I write this blog from the safety of another state - even though I suspect from my own research the money fronting the Conecuh Woods Landfill it is only 45 miles away from me. Josh Dewberry, the reporter who wrote the following piece is at ground zero. Good job, Josh!

All content copyright 2007 The Monroe Journal

Site design by Josh Dewberry/The Monroe JournalNews From the Thursday, March 8, 2007 edition

JOURNAL BARRED FROM CONECUH MEETING

BY JOSH DEWBERRY
Journal Staff Writer

The Journal was denied access to a focus group held Monday night in Evergreen to discuss issues including the proposed landfill near Repton and the project to build a dam and lake on Murder Creek.

Citizens from around Repton contacted The Journal about a letter they’d received asking them to attend the meetings and many of those contacted asked for media coverage of the event.

Those who did participate were paid $60 in cash for their 1-1/2 hours of time at the meetings and Dr. Jerry Ingram of Southeast Research Inc. of Montgomery, who was in charge of the meeting, told The Journal they could not sit in on the sessions.
“We are afraid the participants will not be as candid if there is a reporter in the room,” Ingram said. “It would be better if you weren’t in there.”

Two sessions were held – one at 6 p.m. and another at 8 p.m. – at Evergreen’s David Burt Building, a county owned public facility rented to the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service and other state and federal agencies.
According a copy of the letter obtained by The Journal, participants were first contacted by phone and those who agreed to take part were then sent a reminder letter.

But one participant, Judy Hall of Appleton, said she would have been more comfortable with a reporter in the room because everyone was video taped.
“I would have felt better with a reporter in there than with a video camera in my face,” Hall said. “Any time a person was speaking the camera would be pointed at them and we all had our names in front of us so they now know who said what.”
Hall said she was uncomfortable with the whole program because she had never been told they would be video taped.

Hall also said Ingram told the group he would be listening from another room as a second man asked the questions.

The discussion started with general questions about Conecuh County, Hall said, including schools and jobs, but it quickly turned to the landfill.

“We started talking about the landfill pretty quick,” Hall said. “I told them I own land near the site and that no one wants to buy or own property near a garbage dump.
“They asked about our garbage rates and where our trash goes. When we said ‘to Escambia County,’ the man asking the questions said, ‘So it’s okay to send your trash to another county, but you don’t want a landfill here.’”

The discussion also covered the proposed lake, Hall said, including how much the project will cost.

“He asked us if we knew about the lake and how much it will cost,” Hall said, “and most of us knew very little about it. He said it would cost between $40 and $50 million to build. It seemed like he was wanting us to tell him where the money would come from.”

Hall did say she hadn’t heard much about the landfill prior to be contacted, but since she that time she has researched the project and is opposed to it.
Ingram was contacted by phone by The Journal Tuesday afternoon and he gave a brief summary of what was said at the discussion groups.

“We randomly selected people to call and then narrowed down the list from there,” he said. “We invited about 20 people for each session and had eight at the first and 11 at the second.”

He said the groups were pretty split on their opinions of the landfill.
“I would say 20-percent of them were for the landfill and another 20-percent were against it,” Ingram said. “But the surprising fact was that about 60-percent still seemed to be undecided one way or the other. None of the participants were actively involved in the fight against or for the landfill.”

Ingram said the sessions, which handed out $1,140 to the participants, was funded by “a private group,” but wouldn’t say who the private group was.

Investors are considering building a 5,115-acre landfill south of Repton along Alabama Highway 41. Jimmy Stone and David Kirby, both from the Tampa Bay area, own the company Conecuh Woods and are represented by public relations firm The Slevin Group from Tallahassee, which is owned and operated by Patrick Slevin.

Calls to Slevin were not returned Wednesday prior to press time.

Citizens for a Clean Southwest Alabama, a grassroots group organized to fight the proposed landfill, Chairperson Johnny Andrews said his group didn’t sponsor the focus groups.
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CONECUH COUNTY TRIVIA: According to Planet Hazard, the polluter with the most pollutants and pollant sources in Conecuh County is the Conecuh County Sanitary Landfill with 28 pollutants and 28 pollutant sources. High Five! Bring us another landfill!

Posting to this blog

2007-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

If you are a member of any group opposing the Conecuh Woods Landfill, you are welcome to post to this blog. If you aren't familiar with how blogs work, just send your text to miket@thomsontalks.com as an email or in a word attachment. Don't be afraid if you aren't grammatically correct. I'm an editor and I can help you present your comments as if you were a writing superstar.

Now is the time for me to stand back and you to come forward.

Michael H. Thomson
miket@thomsontalks.com