Special to The Beacon Brantley County citizens and other affected persons will have the opportunity to comment Saturday, January 16, 2021, during a public meeting regarding the Facility Issues Negotiations Process. The meeting will be held at 1 p.m., at the Brantley County Board of Education, 272 School St, Nahunta, GA 31553. Members of the public can also participate in the meeting via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86564204381,
Zoom Meeting ID: 865 6240 4381
The Facility Issues Negotiations Process creates a forum for a Citizens Committee, Brantley County, and the landfill company (Brantley County Development Partners, LLC) to negotiate an agreement to address concerns associated with a landfill near Waynesville in Brantley County. Over the course of five meetings between October 5, 2020, and November 12, 2020, the parties discussed issues related to noise, odor, traffic, road maintenance, litter prevention, protections for wetlands and groundwater, host fees, and many other issues. At the end of the negotiations process, Brantley County Development Partners, LLC refused to agree to any concessions discussed to prevent the issues and concerns of the Citizens Committee and the County. In August 2020, over 300 people signed a petition requesting Brantley County initiate the Facility Issues Negotiations Process as described in the Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act § 12-8-32 (Permits for regional solid waste disposal facilities). Satilla Riverkeeper Laura Early was one of 10 serving on the Citizens Committee, attempting to negotiate safeguards for the community and the environment in case the project moves forward. “The Citizens Committee devoted a great deal of time and effort to researching and understanding the issues that hosting a solid waste handling facility can cause for their community,” said Early. “Based on those concerns and the information provided verbally by the Brantley County Development Partners, a very reasonable host agreement was drafted. It was very frustrating that at the last minute, the Brantley County Development Partners refused to agree to any of it.” Saturday’s Public Meeting is an opportunity for anyone affected by the landfill proposal to voice their concerns and bring up any issues they would like addressed if a solid waste handling facility were to be permitted at the site in Brantley County. The Brantley County Development Partners, LLC has applied for a permit for a landfill project in Brantley County about two miles east of the Satilla River off U.S. Hwy. 82 near Waynesville. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) issued a notice of Site Suitability on May 28, 2020, despite receiving over 9,000 comments in opposition to the siting. EPD is continuing to review the permit application. Next, the applicant must submit a Design and Operations Plan to EPD.