Landfill Storm Water

Fremont, VA: (Feb-27-08) The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality brought charges against the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA), alleging that there were several environmental violations at its regional landfill in Suffolk in the aftermath of Tropical Depression Ernesto in 2006. Officials claimed that this is the first time SPSA has gotten into trouble with environmental regulators in this way and that the suit comes as the waste authority serving eight cities and counties in South Hampton Roads is trying to reform itself after years of financial and managerial strife. The lawsuit stated that the problems under consideration started after heavy rains from Ernesto swamped a newly opened section of the public landfill, located near the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, in Suffolk. SPSA officials said that a landfill employee wrongly started pumping garbage tainted storm water into a ditch and pond connected to Burnett's Mill Creek, a tributary of the Nansemond River. Such pumping continued for four days, state officials said, with more than 2.1 million gallons of storm water released into the environment. As this came to light, SPSA's managers contacted the state, as required by law, to report the illegal discharges.

As part of a settlement reached, sources on both sides confirmed that SPSA has agreed to pay a $14,000 fine to settle environmental violations at its regional landfill in Suffolk in the aftermath of Tropical Depression Ernesto in 2006. Much of the fine, or $12,600, will be dedicated to the Elizabeth River Project, a local conservation group, to help pay for environmental cleanup activities. The rest will be kept by the state to assist in emergency responses. [HAMPTON ROADS: LANDFILL STORM WATER]

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Published on Feb-28-08