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Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Environment - Stories today, so far

"Floyd wants state to address runoff" is the headline of this story published yesterday in the Louisville Courier Journal. A quote:

The Floyd County Plan Commission voted unanimously last night to ask state environmental agencies to enforce statutes regulating runoff from the Crestwood Manor subdivision in Floyds Knobs.

The action followed a presentation by Scott Hughes about his two-year battle with developers of the 74-acre subdivision. The development, he said, has repeatedly sent mud flowing into two ponds near his house that are owned by neighborhood residents.

Mud from Crestwood Manor has dirtied the ponds, and in May 2003, an attempt by an environmental contractor hired by developers to clear up the ponds killed scores of fish in one, according to news reports.

"Development in Floyd County is at a crossroads," Hughes said.

"The bottom line is that you can have the most comprehensive and well-written ordinances, but if there is no enforcement, you might as well have nothing," he said.

"Floyd to expand junkyard oversight" is the headline to this story today in the LCJ. A quote:
In the wake of environmental violations cited at a controversial Floyds Knobs junkyard, the lawyer for the Floyd County Plan Commission said yesterday that he will ratchet up efforts to make sure the operation complies with state and local requirements.

"I'm afraid we might find a lot of the ground contaminated," said Plan Commission lawyer Derrick Wilson.

At a hearing in Floyd Circuit Court next month, Wilson said he will ask a judge to require junkyard operator Denny Andres to pay for a thorough environmental evaluation of the Atkins Road operation, which at times has been estimated to cover more than 40 acres.

The evaluation is necessary, Wilson said, because an inspector for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management reported that on Dec. 7 he found oil or other automotive fluids spilled on the ground near a car-crushing machine and a pile of at least 1,000 waste tires.

In a letter dated Dec. 15, the agency said both situations violate state environmental regulations and must be eliminated by the time of a follow-up inspection in 30 days.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 22, 2004 07:33 AM
Posted to Environment