Nov. 9, 2010
Huntington Council Approves Ordinance that Imposes Penalties for Toxic Dumping
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Huntington’s prior discussions attempting to make an effort to comply in part with an unfunded federal storm water mandate had been stymied due to council objection to management by the Huntington Sanitary Board and a seemingly accompanying storm sewer board that would have meant rate increases.
Assistant Public Works Director Kit Anderson managed to have his illicit dumping ordinance passed unanimously by council. Following a surprise federal EPA audit at which state DEP officials looked on, officials had told Anderson and others that Huntington must have some type of compliance with the federal rules through a piece meal process.
Council members --- past and present --- have been unwilling to pass a sweeping storm sewer separation due to the enormous cost. As envisioned, a Storm Water Utility would have to be added likely working in conjunction with the Huntington Sanitary Board.
“We are trying to get an ordinance done that does not involve fees or a separate storm sewer utility,” the assistant public works director explained.
Most of Huntington’s combined sewer system is over one hundred years old and both sewage and rain water runoff empties into the same pipes which flow to the treatment plant. Of course, rainwater does not require this treatment.
The ordinance approved Monday, Nov. 8, however, avoided the stonewalls faced by other efforts to demonstrate the city’s effort to comply even though it does not have the necessary funding to enforce and enact all that the federal law specifies. It prohibits discharges
Prior to passage, Anderson fielded questions from several council members who wanted to ensure and on record have stated that the ordinance would not raise any water rates or require residents to disconnect their drains as currently installed. Eventually, the US Environmental Protection Agency has a law that separates rain water --- which does not need sewage treatment --- from sewer water ; hence the majority of Huntington is not impacted NOW due to the ancient combined sewer system (CSO).
In fact, at large councilman Steve Williams spoke to council about the travesty of “unfunded mandates that come with a [city dollars] price tag. They [the state and federal governments] need to give us an ability to pay.” His statement came on the same night that a preliminary unaudited city financial report arrived for council to study. Since the report had just been delivered , none of the members were commenting on its contents since they had not yet had time to read or analyze its contents.
Anderson again assured council that the ordinance in play pertained only to dumping of toxic substances in already separated storm sewers. It would affect only those people who, for instance, dump oil down the sewer. Penalties are up to $500 and 30 days in jail per offense. Each day constitutes a separate offense.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe issued a proclamation designating November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month.
In addition, a big on the city’s catastrophic continuing operations plan came under scrutiny after one bid for the $20,000 grant project came in at nearly $80,000 and another at $20,000 . The specs cover training firefighters in close situations including table top and functional training.
C. Craig Moore, fire chief, came to Huntington from New Port News, Va., where he had done prior business with the current low bidder.
Although a conflict was not determined, council chairman Jim Insco voted no on approval of the matter, which passed 10-1.
During Good and Welfare, councilman Jim Ritter inquired about building permit compliance --- as well as enforcement of the newly enacted dumping of toxic substances ordinance. Anderson previously stated that in the hurry up mode to get something on the books as the EPA demanded, he did not have an enforcement plan in place.
Ritter told of contractors doing extensive construction on Friday and Saturdays --- when the city hall is closed ---- potentially to escape paying for a permit.
Brandi Jacobs Jones, director of administration and finance, told Ritter that “we send out some compliance officers periodically on Friday and Saturday.” If there’s no permit, they can issue a “stop order.”
Although Ritter made a comment “whether you do it for free, you need a building permit,” this statement seems to contradict an exemption passed by the prior council that allowed property owners to not purchase a permit if they performed the work and it was under $500. See: http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/local/051227-rutheford-council.html
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Huntington Council Approves Ordinance that Imposes Penalties for Toxic Dumping
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Huntington’s prior discussions attempting to make an effort to comply in part with an unfunded federal storm water mandate had been stymied due to council objection to management by the Huntington Sanitary Board and a seemingly accompanying storm sewer board that would have meant rate increases.
Assistant Public Works Director Kit Anderson managed to have his illicit dumping ordinance passed unanimously by council. Following a surprise federal EPA audit at which state DEP officials looked on, officials had told Anderson and others that Huntington must have some type of compliance with the federal rules through a piece meal process.
Council members --- past and present --- have been unwilling to pass a sweeping storm sewer separation due to the enormous cost. As envisioned, a Storm Water Utility would have to be added likely working in conjunction with the Huntington Sanitary Board.
“We are trying to get an ordinance done that does not involve fees or a separate storm sewer utility,” the assistant public works director explained.
Most of Huntington’s combined sewer system is over one hundred years old and both sewage and rain water runoff empties into the same pipes which flow to the treatment plant. Of course, rainwater does not require this treatment.
The ordinance approved Monday, Nov. 8, however, avoided the stonewalls faced by other efforts to demonstrate the city’s effort to comply even though it does not have the necessary funding to enforce and enact all that the federal law specifies. It prohibits discharges
Prior to passage, Anderson fielded questions from several council members who wanted to ensure and on record have stated that the ordinance would not raise any water rates or require residents to disconnect their drains as currently installed. Eventually, the US Environmental Protection Agency has a law that separates rain water --- which does not need sewage treatment --- from sewer water ; hence the majority of Huntington is not impacted NOW due to the ancient combined sewer system (CSO).
In fact, at large councilman Steve Williams spoke to council about the travesty of “unfunded mandates that come with a [city dollars] price tag. They [the state and federal governments] need to give us an ability to pay.” His statement came on the same night that a preliminary unaudited city financial report arrived for council to study. Since the report had just been delivered , none of the members were commenting on its contents since they had not yet had time to read or analyze its contents.
Anderson again assured council that the ordinance in play pertained only to dumping of toxic substances in already separated storm sewers. It would affect only those people who, for instance, dump oil down the sewer. Penalties are up to $500 and 30 days in jail per offense. Each day constitutes a separate offense.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe issued a proclamation designating November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month.
In addition, a big on the city’s catastrophic continuing operations plan came under scrutiny after one bid for the $20,000 grant project came in at nearly $80,000 and another at $20,000 . The specs cover training firefighters in close situations including table top and functional training.
C. Craig Moore, fire chief, came to Huntington from New Port News, Va., where he had done prior business with the current low bidder.
Although a conflict was not determined, council chairman Jim Insco voted no on approval of the matter, which passed 10-1.
During Good and Welfare, councilman Jim Ritter inquired about building permit compliance --- as well as enforcement of the newly enacted dumping of toxic substances ordinance. Anderson previously stated that in the hurry up mode to get something on the books as the EPA demanded, he did not have an enforcement plan in place.
Ritter told of contractors doing extensive construction on Friday and Saturdays --- when the city hall is closed ---- potentially to escape paying for a permit.
Brandi Jacobs Jones, director of administration and finance, told Ritter that “we send out some compliance officers periodically on Friday and Saturday.” If there’s no permit, they can issue a “stop order.”
Although Ritter made a comment “whether you do it for free, you need a building permit,” this statement seems to contradict an exemption passed by the prior council that allowed property owners to not purchase a permit if they performed the work and it was under $500. See: http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/local/051227-rutheford-council.html
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