HUNDREDS MEET FOR PUBLIC FORUM AGAINST COMPOST FACILITY IN LEE CO.

  

Numerous Lee County residents gathered on Thursday to show their disapproval toward a proposed compost facility near Lincoln. 

Hundreds came to the St. John Lutheran Church Family Life Center to discuss the facility, which is planned by Austin-based company Break It Down LLC, as well as to voice their concerns about its potential impact to the community and the environment, and talk over plans on how to formally oppose it.

The main points presented at the forum included concerns about the strong odor that could affect those living in the area, an increase in pests and vermin, negative impacts to property values, heavy truck traffic on county roads, and contaminants that would hurt nearby ponds and creeks, notably Yegua Creek feeding into Lake Somerville.

Eric Hjorth, who helped organize Thursday’s forum and who lives close by the planned compost site, said this matter affects the lives of not only those in Lee County, but also neighboring counties, so he encouraged residents in-county and out-of-county to contact the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to put a stop to it.

The City of Austin enacted an ordinance in October requiring multifamily communities with five or more dwelling units to provide access to commercial composting collection services.  Lee County Judge Frank Malinak said the ordinance was created in the name of reducing waste that goes into landfills, but it now means areas like Lee County are targets for composting companies. 

Malinak said he has sent a joint letter along with State Senator Lois Kolkhorst and State Representative Stan Gerdes to the TCEQ, requesting that the commission host a public meeting in Lee County.

Annie Bolognino, another coordinator of Thursday’s forum who purchased property in the area to lead a horse therapy program, wants stricter regulations and background checks involved in the TCEQ permit application process, because the company has been fined before for previous infractions.

No representatives from the company were present at the forum.

After the meeting, organizers took questions from the audience and helped those in attendance with submitting formal protests to the TCEQ.  Hjorth said the deadline for public comments is January 2^nd.