State asks EPA to take over Moody fire
On Wednesday, Governor Kay Ivey issued a limited state of emergency to give local officials in St. Clair County all possible legal authority for use in dealing with the ongoing fire at a Moody landfill that has been burning since November. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) had been tasked with handling the situation, but after the fire has failed to burn itself out, the state will give up operational control to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ADEM will share details with the EPA on this lawfully permitted landfill that was supposed to have taken just limbs and other yard waste. Whatever was buried there on the site has been burning with an intensity that is little diminished in over eight weeks of burning. “By authorizing the EPA to respond to this fire, we are ensuring it will be addressed in the fastest and safest way possible,” Ivey said in a statement. “It is imperative that this situation be solved and solved right for the sake of the folks in Moody and all people affected by this fire. I am pleased at this next step, and to ensure we are doing everything possible from the state level, I am also issuing a limited state of emergency for St. Clair County to give local officials another layer of support as they deal with this fire.” At ADEM’s request, the EPA will lead the effort to put out the underground fire at the permitted landfill at the intersection of Blackjack Road and Annie Lee Road in Moody in St. Clair County. Residents of the area stretching out to include Trussville and Leeds have complained about the smoke and odors emanating from the inferno. ADEM has been collaborating with the EPA, the St. Clair County Commission, and other local and state authorities about the appropriate course of action to take to extinguish the fire. ADEM had been hoping the fire would burn itself out – that has not happened. The EPA will determine the most appropriate method to extinguish the fire, hire a contractor from its list of qualified vendors to perform the work, and oversee the process. “Neither ADEM nor the county has the experience or expertise to put out a fire of this nature,” ADEM Director Lance LeFleur said. “The EPA utilizes contractors with experience and knowledge to do this type of work. ADEM and state and local officials have concluded the most effective and safe way to extinguish the fire is for the EPA to lead the effort, and we have entered into an arrangement with the EPA to make that happen.” ADEM has no staff or vendors it works with that can handle this type of fire. “We stand ready to assist the EPA in whatever manner we can,” said County Commission President Stan Batemon said. “The most important thing is putting the fire out as fast as possible and bringing relief to residents in communities being affected by the smoke. The county is limited in what it can do. The EPA is clearly in the best position with its know-how and resources to handle the fire. We believe this is a major step forward in identifying the best solution and taking action.” At ADEM’s request, the EPA has performed air testing at and the near the site. ADEM is also doing water testing in nearby streams to determine possible impacts from runoff from the fire site. It is not known at this point how long it will take to put out the fire or who ultimately will be responsible for paying the EPA’s costs. The EPA is expected to seek recovery costs from the private operator of the site. Alabama Today has been on-site on several occasions, and the odor is intense. There is rampant speculation among people in the Moody community that there is something burning inside that man-made hill other than the limbs and vegetative material that the landfill was exclusively permitted for. Some residents have suggested that old tires could be among the materials burning in that extremely hot fire. Firefighters have the fire contained on the site, but no one knows how long the blaze will continue to burn or what could happen if efforts to put out the fire instead open more of the burning material to oxygen. Once the fire is out, ADEM will take appropriate enforcement actions against the operator. There is a potential for penalties for impacts on air quality and open burning violations. The long-term health impacts of breathing in the smoke and fumes for these many weeks are unknown. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Monitors show months-old Alabama landfill fire polluting air
An underground fire at an Alabama landfill has continued to pollute the air in eastern parts of the Birmingham region more than 50 days after a fire began underground, according to air quality monitors. The monitors surrounding the Moody landfill are detecting pollution, and neighbors are still complaining about smoke, local news outlets reported. The air quality monitor closest to the fire registered unhealthy conditions on Monday morning, AL.com reported, although the monitor later reported improving air quality. Another air quality monitor in Trussville showed pollution levels that are acceptable but may present a risk for some people with 24 hours or more of exposure, especially those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. In late December, air quality readings well over the threshold for hazardous, which is worse than the unhealthy level, were common near the fire. Jennifer Moore, who lives about 15 minutes from the landfill, told WBRC-TV she can smell the burning, especially when it rains. Her son, 12-year-old Colton Moore, uses a ventilator when he sleeps. Jennifer Moore said the filter is now dark and almost completely covered in black, causing health fears. “This is filling our lungs with toxins and poisons, and it’s awful,” Moore said. “Something needs to be done because I can just see in 15 years the infomercial that comes on and tells you ‘if you were affected by the Moody fires’ and all of that because it’s bad.” A class-action lawsuit was filed in December against the owners and operators of the Environmental Landfill, Inc., which owns the site. The lawsuit, filed in St. Clair County, cites inspection reports from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. They note the presence of unauthorized waste at the landfill and describe the site as a fire hazard. Representatives of the company have declined to comment to news outlets. St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said he still gets smoke complaints, but the fire is actually shrinking. “It’s not burning more; it’s burning less,” he said. He said ADEM officials told him the smoke hugs the ground in the mornings and evenings, making air quality worse. St. Clair County has declared an emergency but is not authorized to spend money on private property, Batemon said. He said the fire could take another month or more to burn out. Environmental experts have warned against pouring water onto the fire, Batemon said, saying steam could carry more impurities into the air and runoff could pollute the Cahaba River. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
German automotive supplier announces $3.4M expansion
A German automotive supplier has announced an expansion of its operations in Alabama that will create nearly 80 new jobs. Eissmann Automotive, in a news release Monday, said it is putting $3.4 million into new equipment for its new production line at its facility in Pell City. The company also said it expects to hire an additional 79 people to support the production in St. Clair County. Eissmann Automotive supplies car interior, trim components, shifter modules, and other parts for Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jeep, Tesla, Porsche, Volkswagon, and other automakers. It has 13 locations on three continents. “This is a testament both to the company’s ability to produce a great product and the faith they have in St. Clair County’s workforce,” St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said. Eismann Automotive Plant Director Tracy Breeding said the company is “very pleased” to work with Pell City, the county commission, and the state’s Department of Commerce. “They have been wonderful partners as we continue to invest in Pell City to provide quality service and products to our valued customers,” Breeding said. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
