Coal Grove council hears landfill concerns
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 14, 2023
COAL GROVE — Residents expressed concerns over a proposed new landfill at last week’s meeting of Coal Grove village council.
The landfill, a private business owned by Danny Sullivan, would be located on the hill, off of Lane and Pike streets and would house construction and demolition debris.
Vivian Schug, a Coal Grove resident, addressed the council, about the project, stating she had concerns over increased traffic on the streets, as well as impacts on the environment and health of residents.
Schug asked if the site was considered to be in the village limits and if anything could be done to stop it.
Mayor Gary Sherman said it was within Coal Grove limits in an area that was zoned for industrial use and that the permitting was being done by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Council member Andy Holmes told Schug that he had the “same concerns” and had been talking to officials from the EPA. He said the site had been zoned as it had previously been used for industrial clay and had not been changed in following years.
Schug and other residents said they had concerns about asbestos in material being demolished.
Sherman said he has been told there would be no asbestos at the site, which is planned to begin operation in several months.
Schug also had concerns about the way debris would be stored.
“Everything fails,” she said, following up that she also worried about possible odors from the site and impacts on property values.
“I love this village and would like to see it built up,” she said. “But this is not the way to do it.
Holmes said the site falls out of the purview of the council and is being handled by the EPA and said, in the meantime, the village had an ordinance on the books mandating that trucks be covered and a tax to cover “wear and tear on our streets.”
He said the village would remain in contact with the EPA and be sure all precautions are being taken and that “debris is being checked.”
Schug said she would remain focused on the matter.
“If someone lets a toot, and I smell it and think it’s coming from that direction, I’m calling the EPA,” she said.