Sewage proposal still in limbo

It's been a little more than a month since the public hearing sponsored by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management regarding a sewage treatment facility in the Bluewater and Mill creek areas of east Lauderdale County, an event that saw hundreds gather at the Brooks High School gym to protest the plant.

"We're still in the process of reviewing the information we received, and I can't speculate as to when that will be concluded," said Scott Hughes, spokesman for ADEM. "We do a thorough review of each comment submitted, and we'll make a final determination when that process is complete."

Killen Mayor Jerry Mitchell proposed a wastewater facility for the area over the potential for future growth. Opponents say their voices have not been heard by the town's officials, and they don't expect ADEM to deny the permit.

Jim Akin, a spokesman for East Lauderdale Environment Conscious Citizens, said his organization got a boost when Paul Wilson submitted a letter to Alabama Utility Services denying the company the right to lease his land for spray irrigation purposes.

Alabama Utility Services, or AUS, is a private sewage company based in Pell City and co-owned by Chris Matthews and Teresa Lucas.

"(This land) is something AUS would have to have for a discharge point on Mill Creek, but, at this point, I don't think anyone would sell or lease their land for this purpose," Akin said.

Even if AUS is granted the permit to build the facility, "and they don't have access to the land for the appropriate discharge point as outlined in the permit, AUS would then have to go through a process of reapplying for a permit at a site that was leased to them for that purpose," Hughes said.

Already, AUS has invested around $20,000 in permitting fees to ADEM, one for a site being considered along Bridge Road that was dismissed in 2007 for economic purposes as well as the one under consideration.

Hughes said his department had not been notified about the letter from Wilson, but it is an issue Hughes said ADEM would research to ensure that, if the permit is issued, the facility is built on property identified on the permit application.

Mitchell also has taken steps to cut back on the time given at council meetings to those opposed to the facility because, he said, "nothing new was being presented." But the potential to work with AUS on a sewage project still exists, Mitchell said.

"Even if AUS gets the permit, it probably wouldn't matter to Killen because we've told them we're not going to initiate anything that would involve Bluewater Creek," he said.

"There could be another project, but AUS is going to have to have a concrete plan. I think AUS is still interested in (Lauderdale County) if they can come up with a site."

It's lingering questions about AUS' business practices and financial stability that drives Akin and others who are members of the ELECC to continue to attend council meetings as well as request time to air their concerns.

It's also why Akin said the unwritten boycott of Killen businesses would continue.

"All this depends on tax revenue for Killen," he said. "We're hoping the mayor and council will get pressure from the businesses about this and see if they can't find another way to get their sewage taken care of. We've never said we're opposed to growth for Killen, but they need to keep it in Killen."

Mitchell contends tax revenue for the town has been at the level he expected for the mid-year budget season, and perpetuating a boycott based on what he called misinformation is unnecessary.

"The bottom line is that ELECC was formed to oppose the outfall of treated sewage into Bluewater Creek, and I think they've served their purpose from the standpoint of the Killen environment," he said. "I have to question why they would continue to pursue anything with the innocent businesses in the town of Killen."

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@timesdaily.com.