Westmoreland comes around on plant closure

Mon, 10/23/2006 - 9:35am
By: Ben Nelms

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland at a town hall meeting Thursday in Peachtree City responded to numerous questions about his commitment to assist the hundreds of residents of Fayette and South Fulton counties experiencing illnesses they say are directly related to emissions from the Philip Services Corp. (PSC) waste treatment plant near Fairburn. Westmoreland’s call for the temporary closure of the plant came on the heels of a letter hours earlier to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for the closure. He told the two dozen in attendance the decision just weeks before the November election was not a political one.

A significant number of the questions posed at the town hall meeting revolved around the many issues surrounding the PSC plant and the hundreds of residents complaining of unexplained illnesses beginning in June. One of those questions, posed by South Fulton/Fayette Community Task Force Science Committee member and retired chemist Lois Speaker, took the form of an inquiry about when Westmoreland decided to change his mind and call for action on the PSC issue. The Oct. 16 letter to EPA was the first occasion where Westmoreland had publicly supported the wishes of residents and several area city and county governments and community organizations long-calling for the plant’s closure.

“We did that Monday,” Westmoreland responded. “I spoke at a place called House of Heros down in Columbus. I told the people there that to thank them for protecting me and my family and for all they had done for this country, that I would do everything I could to protect them. I got an email, I guess it was Monday, from a veteran that was there, that lives on the north side of Fayette County. He said, ‘you made me a promise that you would do anything you could to protect me and my family.’ He told me about his grandchildren and children being sick from what was going on. And so we all sat down and talked about it and reviewed all the evidence again that we had. And we came to the conclusion that evidently Fulton County was not acting fast enough or doing what they could and that we were going to enter into a letter to the EPA. If we have any jurisdiction it’s over the EPA.”

“The comment was brought up that people were going to look at this and say this was a political decision just two weeks out from the election,” Westmoreland continued. “If this had been a political decision I would have done it a long time ago. But one of the faults Congress has and government has is always being in a knee-jerk reaction. So we wanted to make sure we tried to study and to understand and to do everything we could do to understand the situation. And when I got that email, that’s when we all sat and down and talked about it and made the decision Monday that we were going to write the letter. That’s the only explanation I can give you for it. People are going to think what they want. There is nothing I can do to change that.”

In the Oct. 16 letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson, Westmoreland cited adverse health effects experienced by residents and called for the PSC plant to be temporarily closed.

“I respectfully request your assistance in addressing a public health hazard in and around Georgia’s 8th Congressional District. The chemical odorant Propyl Mercaptan and pesticide MOCAP or Ethoprop were released from the Philips Services Corporation (PSC) Recovery Systems pre-treatment wastewater facility located at 8025 Spence Road off of Ga. Highway 92 in Fairburn, in late June, early July of this year. Residents in the surrounding area cite adverse health effects due to the odorants; this situation affects not only residents of south Fulton County but also my constituents in neighboring Fayette County. In order to protect my constituents, I request that EPA temporarily close PSC until controls are initiated to prevent this type of pollution. If the plant maintains its state-issued permit and remains open then I would request as the U.S. Representative of the 8th District of Georgia that EPA re-evaluate the initial clean-up and investigate the lingering odor. I hope to coordinate with the EPA to ensure that appropriate controls are put in place so that this problem never recurs,” the letter said.

In attendance at the town hall meeting, south Fulton resident and task force member Clare Hindman summed up in a few words what hundreds of Fulton and Fayette residents have been saying for months.

“My government says the plant is there and it won’t hurt you,” Hindman said. “I’m a victim of the poisoning my government says won’t hurt me.”

In response, Westmoreland referenced the letter to EPA, adding that he believes there has been enough evidence brought forth and enough testimony to warrant some type of complete investigation that has not yet been done.

Westmoreland echoed the substance of a September letter issued by Congressman David Scott, who requested that EPA close the plant until the area could be contaminated and answers to residents illnesses could be found.

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Submitted by swmbo on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 9:39pm.

Sounds like Lynn's finally got the message that his competition is more responsive to the District than Lynn has ever been.

Uh, Lynn, U-Haul called. They want to give you the confirmation number on your moving truck for December. Git along, li'l doggie. Go on home, now.

-------------------------------
If you and I are always in agreement, one of us is likely armed and dangerous.

Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 7:58pm.

westmoron you are 4 months late and thousands of dollars short! We don't need you anymore.

The fact that you have the unmitigated gall to step up to plate so late in the game is astounding. Do you honestly think we are stupid enough to believe you?? Your arrogance is amazing.

We don't need you anymore, now that Mike McGraw changed from Republican to Democrat. You see McGraw cared about our health and safety long before you decided it was fashionable.

westmoron you over-inflated wind bag of arrogance go back to whatever rock you crawled out from under.

Submitted by jmatute on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 6:34pm.

I would like to go on record and state that two months ago I availed myself of the system of communication that Congressman Westmoreland has for his constituents to contact him. I asked him to state his position and to offer what he was going to do on the problem that was brewing at the site of the PSC Chemical Spill on Spence Road. Two months went by and I had not one iota of response from him or his office (my representative to the House of Representatives). All I saw was a report that he stated that Fulton County was well in control of the issue, and that the Federal EPA should back off from any oversight. Further, any questions on his lack of curiosity on the problems was dealt with his response that "you have been reading too much of the Fayette Citizen". I can now only offer my opinion that he has sensed that he is in deep political trouble and he needs to get in line with those who want the plant closed down. Unfortunately, there are many people ahead of him in this line, and his lack of up-front leadership is only the result of his lack of political acumen and indebteness to those who financially put put him in office. This is why many of us have had enough and want an immediate change.

KraftyFla's picture
Submitted by KraftyFla on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 7:26pm.

has about as much credibility and sincerity as Monica Lewinsky preaching about chastity and maritel fidelity.


mudcat's picture
Submitted by mudcat on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 7:43pm.

Your contribution is appreciated, although spelling, accuracy and an actual point seem to be missing.

Come again, though.
meow


Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 4:55pm.

Thank you Ben, for keeping this issue before the public. Keep up the great reporting! I don't live near the plant. I support the people who do live there, and I believe this plant should be closed. Who cares if it's an election ploy on Westmoreland's part!! (Although I do think that he should have come forward sooner) There are lives at stake here! This plant should be closed down and cleaned up. Everyone should support the people who live there!


Submitted by dcbiemlr on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 6:46pm.

I just want to thank all of the citizens who support the South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force with regard to closure of this plant. It is so heartwarming to hear from citizens who are not physically in danger due to the toxins but have the courage to take a stand on our behalf. We are now hoping that the City Councils of Peachtree City and Fayetteville will do the same - they have plenty of citizens who are at risk and let's don't forget this plant sits on streams that run into the Fayette County Water System!!!

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