The Concerned Citizens of Estill County (CCEC) held its first membership meeting on Thursday afternoon at Michael’s restaurant in Ravenna to announce the formation of a new non-profit corporation.
The group is asking for full disclosure from the state of any threat to the people of Estill County and communities downstream that is posed by the 2000 tons of radioactive waste allegedly dumped last year at Advanced Disposal’s Blue Ridge landfill.
Early on in the meeting, Bob Shaffer, former director of the Estill Development Alliance, proposed the group pass a resolution.
He said the group has received word that the Cabinet for Energy and Environment is working privately with Advanced Disposal to settle.
“We will not accept any resolution taken behind closed doors,” Shaffer said.
The group resolved unanimously not to accept any actions taken without seeking input from local citizens and officials.
Shaffer also expressed dissatisfaction that the EPA dismissed getting involved in the situation, calling it “a local issue.” He pointed out that the waste came from three different states-Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.
CCEC is planning to host a rally on Saturday, July 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the football field, directly across from Advanced Disposal’s Blue Ridge Landfill. The purpose of the rally is to inform the public and call for action on the alleged illegal dumping of radioactive waste that took place between July and November 2015.
“If “25 to 30 people show up, we aren’t sending much if a message to that landfill,” Tom Bonny said.
Debra Cox attended the meeting and spoke up to say she’s lived near the river for the past 40 years. During that time, she said, she’s seen a lot of changes in what washes down the river.
Cox, a nurse, said she is concerned about what those changes mean for her grandchildren and others in the area.
While the current focus of the CCEC is the landfill, its mission is a broader one. The group’s mission statement said it aims to “educate its members and the general public on environmental concerns, including but not limited to the harms from the disposal of radioactive fracking waste; to protect the health and safety of its members; to enhance the local economy; and to advocate for these issues on behalf of all impacted communities.”
CCEC listed it’s primary objectives in a press release. They are:
•To assure that state government provides a full and accurate description of any threat posed by the illegal dumping to the people of Estill County and downstream communities;
•To seek full access to all information in the possession of state agencies regarding the characteristics of the waste;
•To participate in the development of scientifically sound and safe remediation measures to ensure the long-term health and safety of the citizens of Estill County and other impacted communities, and to demand full accountability by the generator, transporter, and disposal facility accepting the radioactive wastes for protection of workers and the public;
•To call to account all public and private parties who played a part in this violation of Kentucky law, including prosecution of any parties who have committed a crime, to the fullest extent of the law; and
•To assure that in the future, prompt action is taken by state agencies when, as was the case here, they receive advance notice from other states concerning proposed shipments of radioactive wastes into the Commonwealth that would violate the ban contained in the Central Midwest Low-Level Radioacive Waste Compact against importation of such wastes.
Michael “Bucky” Wilson, CEO of the Citizens Guaranty Bank, is president of the organization, and Tom Hart is the vice-chair. Tom Bonny is treasurer of the newly formed group.