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Geologist Robert Wood speaks at a White Rock Quarries press conference Thursday morning. White Rock produced Alabama Department of Environmental Management documents showing EBSCO apparently dumped more than 15 tons of hazardous waste into the local environment.
White Rock claims EBSCO illegally dumped hazardous waste
Originally published 02:51 p.m., November 19, 2009
Updated 08:32 a.m., November 20, 2009
VINCENT — White Rock Quarries Thursday presented findings that apparently show EBSCO Industries illegally dumped more than 15 tons of hazardous waste in Vincent over 15 years.
EBSCO is opposed to White Rock's proposed limestone quarry, which would be within a half mile of EBSCO's Vulcan Information Processing plant in Vincent. EBSCO has continuously said their opposition to the quarry is based on an increased risk of sinkholes, noise pollution and air pollution.
During a Thursday morning press conference, White Rock spokesperson Stephen Bradley said EBSCO's arguments didn't make sense, since EBSCO already has sinkholes on their property.
"We knew EBSCO was opposed, but what has been puzzling us throughout was why EBSCO was opposed," Bradley said. "We've discovered that for at least 15 years, EBSCO was illegally discarding at least 15 tons of hazardous waste through its septic system to ground water."
He said acccording to Alabama Department of Environmental Management documents, EBSCO discarded waste through its septic system from 1970-1985. In 1985, ADEM ordered EBSCO to stop disposing of hazardous wastes through the septic system.
Geologist Robert Wood said EBSCO released toxic chemicals through the septic system, such as trichloroethane, which moves quickly through clay into groundwater and lasts a long time in nature. Trichloroethane is toxic to humans and can break down into vinyl chloride, which is a known carcinogen.
Wood said White Rock is trying to protect their own property as well as the Vincent community.
"There are people who use well water in the vicinity of EBSCO," he said.
Rob Fowler, an environmental lawyer, said White Rock has done groundwater testing on company property in Vincent, and those tests are clean. However, he said he believes EBSCO opposed the quarry in an effort to stop anyone from possibly discovering harmful chemicals in the environment.
"We don't believe it will affect our project," Fowler said. "But that's why EBSCO doesn't want the quarry there. I hope there's nothing there. That'd be best for us, it'd be best for EBSCO and it'd be best for the community."
EBSCO officials released a company statement late Thursday afternoon saying the company is disappointed in White Rock’s tactics.
“The issue is whether or not it is appropriate for a quarry to be located in such close proximity to the community of Vincent. EBSCO is disappointed in the tack White Rock has chosen to take in pursuit of its desire to obtain the approvals required to open a quarry in Vincent,” the statement read. “EBSCO always strives to be a good corporate citizen, provide a safe working environment for our employees and to operate within the law.”
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Comments
Posted by vincentcitizen (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG-Be sure you understand that it is saying this happened 24 years ago.
What a joke!!
We need to worry about the future.
Posted by vincentresident11 (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No way this perfect company of 40 years would dump toxins in this perfect little town. A little town of where a small minority (but think they are the majority) doesn't want growth or change. They like it they way it is & all the great and wonderful things VIP does.
Posted by enlightened (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Real neighborly.
Posted by EM (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
vincentcitizen - things that happen in the past affect our future. It greatly concerns me to think that hazardous materials have been released into the environment and possibly our drinking water. How is that a joke? EBSCO is not looking like a great neighbor if this is true.
Posted by ed_b_1 (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 6:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What sour grapes. White Rock Quarries will sink to any level to try to malign opposition. This stuff was settled almost 25 years ago like much of the same from nearly all big companies.
This is like complaining about Santa Claus because the reindeer are causing too much methane.
Posted by areaobserver (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 6:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What a great headline:
“White Paternalists Duped By Polluter and Used
as Pawns in Scheme to Cover Up Illegal Toxic Waste Dump”
I wonder where the millions of gallons of poison went?
Have the people in that part of the town been drinking it?
I’ll bet the Harpersville busybodies that have their eye on the quarry didn’t know a superfund site came with it.
Posted by noquarry462 (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 6:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Everyone knows there are sinkholes in Vincent, all over Vincent. And sinkholes are ONE reason we don't want a quarry. We don't want he massive amount of sinkholes that the quarry will cause.
Thanks White Rock for pointing out how bad the sinkholes are around Vincent. I just hope our officals won't allow you to propagate the problem.
Posted by ebscoworker (anonymous) on November 19, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You need to understand, this is the truth. I have proof! I am aware that you want to think this is all about a quarry. IT IS NOT. People's lives are at risk. I wander how many people must die before you realize this is a problem. Remember when we had a company that dumped it's hazardous waste on the ground for many years and the EPA had to come in and clean it up?
How many people in this area was diagnosed with cancer that could have been caused by this hazardous waste being dumped in the ground? Why were the people not notified of this?
If you have never seen the movie "Erin Brockovich", I recommend you watch it now.
I hope the Vincent Historical and Environmental Society will look into this.
Posted by Shelbycitizen (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How can the Vincent Historical and Environmental Society look into this. It was formed by Jo Mudd, the Naugles, and Charles Cantrell for the purposes of fighting the quarry. Remember the speech Mr. Naugle gave at the EBSCO/Vincent Historical and Environmental Society open house, opposing the quarry. He sounded like the CEO of EBSCO. Heck, when ask on tv last night, Mr. Cantrell, without knowing any of the facts, stated it was lie. Facts are facts. This is also the same group behind the push to have Harpersville annex Vincent and do away the town....if you want someone to help, it won't be that group. If you can't tell, I am now angry...
Posted by ForVincent (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm shocked that so many people are taking this claim lightly. Like ebscoworker stated, this not just a quarry issue and proof has been provided of EBSCO's actions. Our environment and possibly our drinking water has been polluted! The quarry people did not make up documents from state environmental agencies. Everyone, including Mr. Cantrell, who think this information is untrue need to wake up and see the truth.
Posted by enlightened (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 10:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Trichloroethane is toxic to humans and can break down into vinyl chloride, which is a known carcinogen."
Carcinogen - any substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer. dictionary.com
So it is okay that this company dumped carcinogens into the ground that could spread into the drinking water because it was 20+ years ago? The fact that this substance can be active for such a long time is not a factor to anyone because this company is such a great neighbor? Really? What exactly have they done to be such a great neighbor?
Posted by georgereed (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Keep digging White Rock, you haven't hit the core of Ebsco operations. There are lots of thing even Mr. Brooke don't know about the Vincent plant. They haven't stopped dumping or there would not be as many problems within the plumbing systems inside the plant. Just because the land test White Rock had done were clean,only means they tested their land,not anything on the other side of the track(Ebsco's side).
Posted by thor (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WR war cry, pollution by Ebsco is to rally the troops. This action is a strategy used to call the dogs off of the quarry. More problems will happen if the quarry is built. You can factor in blasting. What happens to the Carcinogen? Will it spread? Sinkholes, will it spread into them. Air pollution, How about getting into the air. Breathing this type of chemical Trichlor is very hazardous to the lungs. Fowler states we don't think it will effect our property. Why. because permits would be denied. Yet if there is pollution at Ebsco then WR property has pollution too. Word game.
Posted by noquarry462 (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 7:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What geniuses. WR says 15 tons, aeraobserver says millions of gallons. WR says 30,000 lbs, area says 8+ million lbs. WR says 3750 +/- gallons.
If you take WR's info as accurate and true, this amounts to 1 part per 430,000 parts. This is about 1/2000 oz per gal of ground water over 15 years, that is if none of the chemical was absorbed in the ground. That is, if you want to believe the WR liers. Most of us polute the ground water more every Saturday when we wash the wife's car.
(Oh, I read the part about how God opened the Red Sea, but I missed the part where He made all the polution stay on EBSCO's side of the tracks.)
Posted by nowhiterocks (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When all is revealed and EBSCO is in compliance with ADEM -- and this was successfuly resolved many many years ago -- what was the purpose of the Press Release by White Rock. The release was so carefully scripted that one would think this is a current day news event. When actually it was 10 or more years earlier.
If White Rock did this in an attempt to mislead and confuse the people of Vincent -- makes me wonder what other issues and events have been staged to also mislead and confuse. This is not the neigbor I want. I have to be concerned because now that they have displayed this underhanded mindset -- who knows what other things will be (and have already been) distorted.
Veceglio's White Rock is operating in a very unprofessional manner. They are not conducting business with class or truthfulness.
Buyer (mayor/council) -- beware! (WR)
Posted by areaobserver (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 1:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
According to the January 15, 2001 report by Spencer Environmental Consultants for Vulcan Information Packaging: “the following is the estimated volumes of waste to sewer from 1970 to 1984: 14 years x 250 days x 9.13 lbs. per day = 31,955 lbs or 15.9 tons”
Mmm, that delicious TCE. Causes kidney, liver, bile duct, and testicular cancer, lymphoma and neurological damage. Someone who knows the people on well water a mile or so around EBSCO ought to do an informal survey to find out who’s been getting sick of what since the mid-1970’s.
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminant...
http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordispl...
You can’t brush this off as something that happened a long time ago because people may have been drinking the stuff ever since. The EPA lists EBSCO as a site that needs corrective action. The EPA says EBSCO has not reported what it has done to control groundwater migration from the site. So much for old news…
http://iaspub.epa.gov/Cleanups/RcraProfi...
Those of you who are against the quarry have the right to fight it hard, and I wish you great luck, but you’d be better off doing so on your own terms than as puppets of a company that has been crapping in your nest for years.
noquarry: I failed new math. What did you divide into what to get the ratio 1/430,000? What did you divide into what to get 1/2000oz/gal of groundwater? How much groundwater was in your beaker?
Posted by nowhiterocks (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
READ CAREFULLY
The press release is filled with "I believe" and "We believe" and "We don't think" and "We don't feel".
Since the dumping was so many years ago and EBSCO complied with ADEM at that time -- and it is no longer dumping -- what was the point of calling a press conference? Did Steve Brantley disclose that EBSCO was in compliance with the order from ADEM to discoutinue the dumping? I BELIEVE he did not. However, I BELIEVE they did.
Rob Fowler, an environment lawyer, said WR has done groundwater testing and I BELIEVE he says those tests are clean.
Robert Wood,geologist, says these toxins last a long time in nature. I BELIEVE we need to know how long is a long time!
I BELIEVE White Rock is dealing dirty with the intent to deceive and manipulate the folks of Vincent. If they will do this now (in the courting stage of the relationship) -- what can we expect in the days to come -- I BELIEVE they will do or say what ever is necessary to pursuade the Mayor/Council to support their approvals in re-zoning and obtaining permits.
I FEEL this is only the beginning of a very disappointing business adventure for Vincent . I BELIEVE just because business is loaded with $s -- and think they can come into town and push their agenda thru -- it is a warning saying once we are here -- we are in charge and with the money we are donating -- we are due special favors. I BELIEVE once CITY HALL sells out -- they have sold out for good!
I BELIEVE the Mayor and Council should beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. If EBSCO has deceived the community -- let it be known. However, it they are clean -- I BELIEVE city hall should respect EBSCO's position and go forward with class and professionalism and investigate the documentation presented to them by experts concerning White Rock and the potential environmental problems (not to mention health problems) they will bring to Vincent.
I FEEL the NO QUARRY position should be given as much attention and consideration at city hall as the WR position has. The Mayor says he has an obligation to listen to the proposals from WHITE ROCK. I BELIEVE that is true. However, I also BELIEVE the NO QUARRY proposals deserve the same consideration. I would like to know if the Mayor/Council were presented with documented proof that the majority of the citizens of Vincent DO NOT WANT a Quarry -- would they vote accordingly --or would they vote their personal preference?
We do know the Mayor and Council members have meetings and discussions with representatives from WR. And, when citizens request meeting time to discuss NO QUARRY items -- there is never a good time.
To the poster who once said I just wanted to argue -- this is not an argument it is just what I BELIEVE. Perhaps I should call the media and hold a press conference!
Posted by thor (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 8:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why hasn't the mayor of Vincent held a press conference to respond to Ebsco and White Rock Quarry. The Mayor doesn't need to hide his concerns. His concerns should be expressed to the citizens of Vincent. This is what a leader and representative of the people of Vincent and especially the Mayor should do.
Posted by noquarry462 (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
areaobserver,
I used WR's ground water figures from their last presentation. Math, you know, add, substract, multiply, devide, weight, ect. Not made up numbers like "millions of gallons".
WR ran the test that shows the ground water is clean. Do you believe them or not?
Posted by FatDad (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Quick! Sell your home and move out of Shelby County before everyone else learns what you know . . . the ground is polluted, the water is polluted, and the land in not safe for man nor beast! This cannot be "cleaned up" The only winners are those that leave first!
Posted by thor (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 8:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let me quote WR from the Hometown Market Place from the Daily Home. Bradley quoted White Rock president Jim Hurley, who was not at the press conference, as saying. "It is now crystal clear to us that EBSCO has oppossed the quarry because they were afraid of their illegal dumping of hazardous waste would be brought out into the light of day once soil and water sampling was initiated in the vicinity of Ebsco's plant as we begin quarry construction." Hurley said. Now in the vicinity of Ebsco plant as we begin quarry construction. Where is the location where soil and water sampling was conducted? Is it located within WR property also. Has the EPA has already approved construction for WR. Why after all these years WR is saying that the property they bought in Vincent is clean of all hazardous waste but EBSCO is still polluted. What a double standard. The Mayor. What do you think?
Posted by Shelbycitizen (anonymous) on November 25, 2009 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thor, I have a copy of the press release. Hurley is not saying that anything is still in the ground. He does not know that. He is saying that EBSCO dumped hazardous wastes illegally for 15 plus years and that it may still be in the ground or groundwater. He said he believes that EBSCO is opposing the quarry because White Rock could discover the wastes during construction of the quarry. It actually makes sense. If pollution found on White Rock's property, I bet they will make EBSCO pay for the clean up. If there is no quarry, there is little risk that EBSCO will have to pay anything to clean it up. I don't believe White Rock has their environmental permits yet.
Posted by thor (anonymous) on November 25, 2009 at 5:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WR group of experts makes Ebsco illegal dumping for 15 years and 15 tons of hazardous waste released into the ground. Somehow, has not effected WR 800 or so acres as this time. I say more testing should be done by the EPA to find out if WR statements are true. Harmful chemicals should be left up to the EPA and not WR. One thing is for sure there will be more water pollution, sinkholes, air pollution and health problems if WR constructs the quarry.
Posted by vincent4ever (anonymous) on November 26, 2009 at 4:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thor,
I do not understand what you mean by “WR group of experts makes Ebsco illegal dumping for 15 years and 15 tons of hazardous waste released into the ground.”.
Are you saying WR made EBSCO do it? If so, I do not think any rational thinking person would believe WR caused EBSCO to dump hazardous waste into the ground in order to locate a quarry in Vincent. That is stupid.
Posted by vincent4ever (anonymous) on November 26, 2009 at 4:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
nowhiterocks,
Your post should show everyone that you are in this for personal gain. You say that EBSCO is in compliance with ADEM. Remember the expert that EBSCO hired to speak at the Vincent Historical and Environmental Society meeting at the Revival center. She said ADEM will not do what is required to protect us. Why do you not think it would different in this case?
You are in this for personal gain. How much money are you requesting from WR? Ask the Naugles how to get more money out of WR. I understand they got thousands out of them.
Posted by thor (anonymous) on November 26, 2009 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
vincent4ever, makes in my post should have been states. Are you a rational person now?
Posted by thor (anonymous) on November 26, 2009 at 9:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
vincent4ever, you have to be so obessed with yourself about the quarry you can not think rational. Ask the mayor how he and his inlaws got more money for their property. WR has the answers.
Posted by AutumnLeaves (anonymous) on November 29, 2009 at 4:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
vincent4ever
Your ignorance is showing!
nowhiterocks is oppossed to the QUARRY. Why would they be in with White Rock for personal gain. You need to read more carefully and watch yourself about making comments without being sure of what you post.
Posted by ed_b_1 (anonymous) on November 29, 2009 at 9:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Since when do the pro-quarry responses have to be based on any rational fact?
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