Landfill Lawsuit Comes to a Decision
JACKSON, Tenn. – A group of protesters gathered at the Madison County Courthouse to celebrate a victory that could mean the end to a years long battle. “It was just the wrong decision for the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Harrell Carter, the NAACP Chapter President. This week, a judge ruled that A1 Waste Management did not properly obtain a permit to operate. Residents said they prey the nightmare they have been living, that has clogged up roads with construction trucks and trash for years, may finally be over. “The danger that it causes with two narrow bridges, the school bus can’t even get past,” said Carter. Residents who live by this nearly 65 acre landfill said their homes used to be tranquil and peaceful. But now, they said construction goes on all night and sometimes produces an odor they said makes them ill. “And on days when the wind is just right, it just a smelly situation,” said Melvin Brown who lives near the landfill. Protesters of the landfill said they are concerned about what is being produced at the landfill. They also said A1 Waste Management has been cited for producing materials that may be dangerous for residents. “Everyone out there is on well water, which means that anything you put in the water affects the drinking water,” said Brown. Residents said the ruling is a step in the correct direction. They added the battle has cost them their property values, and in some cases their health. The next step, they said, is to rezone the land back to being stricly residential.
