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Planning
Commission
takes on
sludge
By Gerald Ochs
Rappahannock News Writer
The Planning Commission held public hearings on both the draft sludge ordinance and on proposed changes to the telecommunications ordinance at its June meeting, and the sludge issue drew the most attention.
The hearing on the sludge ordinance was preceded by introductory remarks by County Administrator John McCarthy and by County Attorney Peter Luke, Mr. McCarthy mentioned that the County had received a letter from a Synagro, a biosolids management company headquartered in Houston, Texas, in which that company offered to participate in a study committee that would assist Rappahannock in drafting its sludge ordinance.
Mr. Luke said that Synagro had suggested that Rappahannock County stay the implementation of its sludge ordinance until such a study committee could get involved, and he said that that could possibly be done if “all of the sludge haulers would agree not to go to the state for a permit” until Rappahannock County had an ordinance. There appeared to be little support amongst the Commissioners for such an approach.
The public hearing on the sludge ordinance opened with comments and recommendations from Jim Gannon, President of the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (RLEP). Mr. Gannon prefaced his organization’s recommendations by noting that the meeting (the hearing on the draft sludge ordinance) was held because of “a judicial decision” and not because Rappahannock County needs or wants sludge. He said that he believed that Rappahannock’s sludge ban “was the will of the people” and that any ordinance developed should be as restrictive as possible.
Among the RLEP recommendations forwarded were: a prohibition on the storage of sludge; the addition of any residence and waterway to those sites with 200-yard sludge buffer zones; more stringent posting requirements for land on which sludge is to be or has been applied; and an increase in the penalties for violations to $5,000 per incident.
See PLANNERS, Page A8
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