Moody landfill fire: Difference between revisions
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==Hazards== | ==Hazards== | ||
ADEM | During December, ADEM recommended that nearby residents limit outdoor activities, seal openings to their homes, and install high-quality filters in their HVAC units; and that particularly sensitive residents may benefit from relocating. [[Trussville City Schools]] curtailed their outdoor activities. | ||
JCDH, [[GASP]], and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | JCDH, [[GASP]], and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed air quality monitors at the edges of the landfill to document hazardous conditions. Laboratory results from the EPA's monitoring showed elevated levels of benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE), known human carcinogens. Determination of those hazards, along with requests from state and county officials, led the federal agency to assume responsibility on [[January 18]] for leading efforts to extinguish the fire. Terry Stilman and another official arrived as on-scene coordinators for the EPA. Their first action was to install additional air quality monitors. | ||
Nearby residents were made aware of the air quality risks per guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Most were advised to install high-quality air filters on HVAC equipment, to seal up openings to outside air, to limit outdoor activities, and to be in touch with health-care providers about monitoring symptoms. | |||
==Responses== | ==Responses== | ||
Revision as of 11:08, 23 January 2023
The Moody landfill fire is an uncontrolled fire burning through an underground multi-layer debris pile covering 23 to 50 acres in a "green waste" landfill initially operated by Scott Russell through NDL Inc., and later by Environmental Landfill Inc. on property owned by the Scott Russell Management Trust on Annie Lee Road, partly in the city of Moody and partly on unincorporated land in northwestern St Clair County.
Under its permit, the landfill accepts only plant matter and storm debris, and therefore its regular operations are not regulated by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). In 2018, following a complaint, ADEM conducted an inspection of the landfill and found a potential of fire hazards, along with evidence of automotive, medical, industrial and hazardous wastes not allowed by its permit. It has been claimed that non-authorized waste was removed from the site before the fire broke out.
The fire was reported on the morning of Friday November 25, 2022 and is believed to involve an area of approximately 25 acres and up to 100 feet thick.
Hazards
During December, ADEM recommended that nearby residents limit outdoor activities, seal openings to their homes, and install high-quality filters in their HVAC units; and that particularly sensitive residents may benefit from relocating. Trussville City Schools curtailed their outdoor activities.
JCDH, GASP, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed air quality monitors at the edges of the landfill to document hazardous conditions. Laboratory results from the EPA's monitoring showed elevated levels of benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE), known human carcinogens. Determination of those hazards, along with requests from state and county officials, led the federal agency to assume responsibility on January 18 for leading efforts to extinguish the fire. Terry Stilman and another official arrived as on-scene coordinators for the EPA. Their first action was to install additional air quality monitors.
Nearby residents were made aware of the air quality risks per guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Most were advised to install high-quality air filters on HVAC equipment, to seal up openings to outside air, to limit outdoor activities, and to be in touch with health-care providers about monitoring symptoms.
Responses
The Moody Fire Department initially responded to the scene. Firefighting officials have said that it is not feasible for them to attempt to extinguish it, and that their activities would focus on preventing it from spreading.
The Alabama Forestry Commission and ADEM visited the scene and provided technical advice, but left it to the St Clair County Commission to head the public response. The county obtained several bids from private contractors with experience fighting underground fires, and forwarded those proposals to state and federal officials for review before awarding a contract. While some initial discussions centered around smothering the fire with soil, that method was deemed unsafe for the conditions at the site. The bids considered, falling in the range of $2-3 million, all involved attempting to put out the fire with a combination of chemical foams and water, with some excavation work to access hotspots. Bids involving chemical agents also included measures to prevent runoff into Big Black Creek.
State of emergency
The St Clair County Commission declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, and prepared to solicit state and federal assistance. On January 10 Commission president Stan Batemon said that it is likely the site will be treated as a crime scene with other agencies attempting to discover how the fires started, and whether illegal dumping put residents at risk.
Governor Ivey issued a proclamation to declare a state of emergency on January 18. In a news release from ADEM issued the same day, the agency said that, "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."
Class action suit
In December 2022 attorneys from Heninger Garrison Davis filed a class-action suit in St Clair County Circuit Court seeking damages from the operators, Charlie Rich and Environmental Landfill Inc.; and the property owners, the Scott Russell Management Trust.
References
- Pillion, Dennis (December 23, 2022) "Landfill fire near Birmingham still burning 28 days later. Now what?" AL.com
- Archibald, John (December 28, 2022) "ADEM: Alabama Doesn’t Even Matter" editorial. AL.com
- Koplowitz, Howard (December 29, 2022) "Possible punishment for Moody landfill fire won’t be given until underground blaze put out: State." AL.com
- Pillion, Dennis (January 3, 2023) "Moody landfill fire declared state of emergency: Plan of action coming, St. Clair County leaders say." AL.com
- Pillion, Dennis (January 6, 2023) "Moody landfill fire: Watch the stunning drone footage." AL.com
- Pillion, Dennis (January 10, 2023) "How do you put out a landfill fire? Alabama county weighing options." AL.com
- Pillion, Dennis (January 10, 2023) "Moody landfill fire likely ‘a crime scene,’ top county official says." AL.com
- Crenshaw, Samuel Jr (January 13, 2023) "‘Is It Soup Yet?’: Engineer Submitting Plans for Putting Out Landfill Fire." BirminghamWatch
- Pillion, Dennis (January 16, 2023) "Moody landfill fire: Class action lawsuit filed against ‘illegal unauthorized dump site’." AL.com
- Pillion, Dennis (January 17, 2023) "Seven weeks in smoke: How Alabama residents are coping with Moody landfill fire." AL.com
- "State requests EPA lead effort to put out St. Clair County fire" (January 18, 2023) Alabama Department of Environmental Management
- Pillion, Dennis (January 18, 2023) "Emergency declared: Ivey calls on EPA to fight landfill fire raging in Alabama." AL.com
External links
- State of Emergency: St. Clair County at governor.alabama.gov