Close them down

It is time the Accomack Board of Supervisors moved to close down the dangerous, unlined, unfenced, and unmonitored open sewage lagoons in the county. It is clear what should be done and there is no excuse for continued prevarication.

Our analysis of the situation , shows what needs to be done to run an open septage lagoon safely. MANY requirements under the law have been ignored. Deficiencies abound as evidenced from the Draft Wastewater Action Plan prepared by McKim & Creed for the County in October. Indeed, one finds that the leaking septage lagoons have been known about since at least 2003, and these lagoons have NOT been monitored in a way consistent with protecting public health. The McKim & Creed report recommends that the County, “Solicit from the Virginia Department of Health the designation of a public health emergency for the public awareness and for increased eligibility with funding agencies.”

Click here to see the unlined septage lagoons that threaten the Machipongo River with overflow during heavy rains. Or click here to see dumping in progress at the septage site near Wachapreague that doesn’t even appear to have berms, much less a defined “lagoon”.

The current operation of these lagoons is highly illegal. The two county septic haulers are dumping at least 1.5 million gallons, yes that’s right million, beyond the permitted amounts issued by the Health Department. Yet VDH has done nothing about it. The Virginia Department of Health has completely dropped the ball in its responsibilities to protect the public. Ammonia and nitrate levels are at unacceptable levels and have been for years yet VDH has not enforced groundwater testing requirements. We ask why?

Is this untreated sewage seeping into our groundwater? Who knows? When will this sewage overflow during a storm and kill the adjacent streams and estuaries? No one knows. What diseases will be spread if the lagoons fail? Who knows?

These lagoons are a dangerous public and environmental ticking time bomb and the County needs to step in where VDH has failed to tread.

For the State Department of Health to allow this illegal and dangerous situation to continue day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, is irresponsible – especially since there are alternatives immediately available. For citizens, it is right and proper to stand up and demand immediate action when failure in government has created an unacceptable risk to people and the environment.

Please plan to join us at the Accomack Board of Supervisors meeting this Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00 pm at the Metompkin Elementary School to let the Board know what you think of this situation.

Happy New Year to an expanded SONs

In a letter from our president , George Parker lays out the strategy for SONs in 2008. SONs has firmly entrenched itself in the public awareness of Accomack County and has made a positive contribution toward our goals of responsible growth and leadership. We have expanded the executive committee to reflect the whole county and are in the process of defining objectives for 2008. Please plan to attend the next all-hands membership meeting on February 24th at 2:30 at the Craddockville Methodist Church.

Coming to a wetlands near you…

In a shocking example of why citizens have to be eternally vigilant for miscreant developers in this County, we have the saga of the illegal dredging at Underhill Creek. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission recently fined Developer MLG Properties $100,000 and ordered remediation measures for dredging and filling in two unnamed tributaries of Underhill Creek, near Onancock. VMRC commenced an investigation shortly after a citizen complaint was made last spring. What is shocking is that Accomack County officials were notified but took no action. This adds another chapter in the continuing story of citizen groups having to take action in order to get the environmental laws enforced in this County – joining the Captain’s Cove citizen’s appeal the State Attorney General and the SONs lawsuit over illegal appointments. Keep it up, citizens!

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