Sludge Watch ==> Virginia - Board weighs sludge ban

[Maureen Reilly]

Board weighs sludge ban


By Justin Faulconer
jfaulconer at newsadvance.com
February 26, 2007


BEDFORD - More than a month since being presented with a complex ordinance 
seeking to prohibit corporate-spread sludge, Bedford County officials are 
debating whether or not to adopt it.

Monday, the Bedford County Board of Supervisors discussed the proposed 
ordinance, which would ban corporations from spreading biosolids.

Moira Belle of the Bedford Action Sludge Committee asked the board to 
approve the ordinance Monday.

It was first presented to the board in early January after initially being 
presented to Campbell County officials by Campbell sludge activists.

Bedford County Administrator Kathleen Guzi told the board that Bedford is 
working with Campbell County officials in reviewing the ordinance. The 
Bedford County Planning Commission is also currently viewing the ordinance.

Tom Linzey, a lawyer from Pennsylvania, co-wrote the proposed ordinance with 
other lawyers.

Belle said it is a last line of defense for the county to protect itself 
from sludge and providers.

“Take the fox out of the henhouse and quit trying to regulate him,” said 
Belle. “A fox is by nature a fox and has got to be trapped and barred from 
ever returning here. Our ordinance is the only thing that would do that.”

Ed Hey, who lives near the Synagro Inc.-run biosolids storage facility on 
Otterville Road, encouraged the board to take action.

“Stand up like men and approve this,” said Hey.

Chairman Chuck Neudorfer said the board was aware of the issue and it is 
trying to follow procedures on how to act.

“We are trying to do this intelligently,” said Neudorfer. “We’re trying to 
do this without pulling the county into a lawsuit.”

District 7 Supervisor Gary Lowry said he didn’t think there was a board 
member that wanted sludge in Bedford County, but that it had to protect the 
county in case of litigation.

“I don’t think we can rush into this thing until we get all the facts,” said 
Lowry. “There’s two sides to every story.”

District 4 Supervisor Jim Sharp quoted a Feb. 11 article from The Roanoke 
Times that said Linzey’s goal is to win “in the court of public opinion.”

“If we lose in court, we’ve got a world of hurt on Bedford County and we’re 
responsible,” said Sharp. “We have to be careful.”

Dale Wheeler, the District 1 supervisor, wasn’t so hesitant.

“I’m ready to roll and let the chips fall where they want to,” said Wheeler. 
“If we’ve got to fight it out in court, that’s why the good Lord made men in 
black robes.”

Bedford County attorney Carl Boggess will send board members a confidential 
memorandum on legal ramifications regarding the ordinance.

The board agreed that it be sent by its March 12 meeting.

Also on Monday, the board voted unanimously to approve rezoning two portions 
of property on the south side of Hendricks Store Road from R-2 to C-2 
(General Commercial District) and from C-2 to R-2 (Medium Density 
Residential District).

The zoning change is in regard to Sunset Cay, a 132 residential lot 
subdivision with commercial parcels along Hendricks Store Road. The purpose 
behind the swap is to allow for the construction of a community center for 
the Sunset Cay subdivision.

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