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LISBON -- The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the commenting period regarding the West Point Renewables solid municipal waste draft permit after posting an incorrect email for the public to send comments.
The extension was granted "through next week" with no deadline clarified.
According to a recent emailed statement from River Valley Organizing (RVO), a member of MADcad (Madison Township Citizens Against the Dump) brought the incorrect email to the attention of River Valley Organizing's Environmental lead Jamie Nentwick on Thursday. The email explained the incorrect email address was posted on the Ohio EPA's official webpage.
"This commenting period is pivotal in our fight against this landfill and with this mistake we might be missing out on comments that could change the direction of the final determination," said Nentwick. "As a result, RVO requested an extension to the commenting period so there is opportunity to alert the community and resend their comments."
Ohio EPA Water Supervisor Bill Zewiski previously explained that residents' only recourse is to submit public comments -- the more specific the better -- to Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel. Vogel has sole authority to approve the draft solid waste permit.
The solid waste permit is the final one of three that must be approved in order for West Point Renewables to move forward with its 54.94-acre landfill at the address of 13560 state Route 45, Lisbon -- near West Point and Madison Township. The other two permits needed - air and surface water - have already been approved by Vogel.
In March, the EPA hosted a public meeting at West Point Church of the Nazarene. The meeting was considered "unrecorded" by the EPA because the state agency did not have a court reporter present and the results were not recorded into its official record. Ohio EPA Public Information Officer Lisa Cochran Cochran stressed that in order for public comments to be recorded, they should be submitted by mail or email to the Ohio EPA. A deadline of April 11 was given but the email address provided was the incorrect one.
The correct address is epa.dmwmcomments@epa.ohio.gov. Anyone wishing to comment or voice concerns regarding the landfill are urged by RVO to do so immediately to ensure residents' voices are heard.