Democrat David Scott made good on his claim to stand by the residents of Fayette and Fulton counties Sept. 25 when he issued a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson calling for the temporary closure of the Philip Services Corp. waste treatment plant on Ga. Highway 92 near Fairburn.

However, his Republican colleague, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, who represents the area of Fayette County affected by the release, has given a constituent a phone number to call to complain, but has declined to call for the plant’s closure.

“As the United States Representative for the 13th Congressional District of Georgia, I request the immediate temporary closure of the Philip Services Corporation (PSC) waste treatment plant located at 8025 Spence Road in Fairburn, Georgia, Fulton County,” Scott said. “I have serious concerns about the impact of PSC operations on the health and quality of life of the large number of my constituents who reside near this plant.

“Citizens are experiencing severe health problems they suspect are due to hazardous emissions from the plant,” Scott wrote.

“The findings of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and some county agencies, along with poor and inconsistent record keeping by PSC, further contribute to my concerns,” Scott said.

“My constituents deserve the full confidence that their government is working to serve and protect them. There are too many unanswered questions about the safe operation of this plant,” Scott said.

“Therefore the prudent decision is to close the plant pending validated full-area decontamination and continued expert monitoring to ensure the health, safety, and peace of mind of the residents,” the Democratic congressman wrote.

Westmoreland, on the other hand, had the following to say to a constituent in north Fayette in a Sept. 28 e-mail:

“The consensus of the community is to have the plant shut down; however PSC is currently lawfully compliant with their state-issued permit,” Westmoreland wrote.

“PSC was closed for a period of time for inspection and clean up and was fined $100,000 for several violations of their state issued solid waste permit but has re-opened after they have corrected the violations found by EPD,” Westmoreland wrote.

“The EPD and the Georgia Division of Public Health (DPH) continue to follow this case very closely. If they decide the plant needs to close then I would support such conclusion,” Westmoreland wrote.

Rep. Scott took his position after a Sept. 18 meeting with members of the South Fulton/Fayette Community Task Force and representatives of EPA, EPD, Georgia Division of Public Health and federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registery.

“What’s wrong with closing (the plant) until we have an explanation?” Scott asked, posing the question after referencing the number of affected families and taxpayers in the community. “The problem is that people around the plant got sick and it clearly represented a health hazard. The odor is still there. The illnesses are a hazard to the residential quality of life. We need to put a halt on the plant until the answers are found.”

During the meeting Scott heard reports that more than 750 residents of Fayette and south Fulton had been sickened by the onion-like chemical smells emanating from the waste treatment plant.

Scott expressed his regret that EPD opted to allow PSC to enter into a consent order agreement and reopen the plant after its permit was suspended in August. The consent order included a number of modifications to the plant and a settlement of $100,000.

The Aug. 11 consent order came after PSC’s solid waste handling permit was temporarily suspended in late July following an EPD site inspection. PSC initially appealed the suspension by EPD Director Carol Couch but entered into the consent order rather than having an administrative law judge hear the appeal.

Numerous site inspections were initiated beginning in late June after increasing community reports of the noxious onion odor and complaints of resulting illness.

“You should not have entered into a consent order with them,” Scott told EPD Assistant Director Jim Ussery. “You all should have never allowed them to get off the hook. The public hasn’t had their process. If you can’t close the plant until you find the answers, you’ll have to go to the legislature to look at new legislation to tighten things up.”

By issuing the Sept. 25 letter, Scott joined ranks with hundreds of affected area residents, more than 1,000 signers of petitions calling for action, Fayette County Commission, Fulton County Commission, the town of Tyrone, South Fulton Concerned Citizens and North Fayette Community Association that have called for answers to the illnesses and environment and for the plant’s permanent closure. More recently, the cities of Union City and Fairburn said they will adopt similar resolutions.

To date and despite the large numbers of affected residents in both counties, only Scott, Rep. Virgil Fludd and Fulton County Commissioner Bill Edwards have openly contacted the South Fulton/Fayette Community Task Force and made efforts to support a call for answers.

Though not holding elected office, Republican-turned-Democrat Mike McGraw, challenger to U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, has worked with the citizens task force since August.

“At this point no other state or federal elected officials have thrown their support our way,” said South Fulton/Fayette Community Task Force Chairman Connie Biemiller. “This is very disheartening since so many of their constituents are ill.”

Biemiller said the task force will be holding a large citizens rally Oct. 21 at Shamrock Park in Tyrone. She said all legislators and their opponents are welcome to come show their support for closing the PSC plant.