The Covington Digital News Digital Edition March 20, 2015 | Page 4

IN DEPTH

Friday, March 20, 2015

GET LAND-FILLED IN
HERE’S A BREAKDOWN ON THE LANDFILL DEAL AND
HOW IT WILL AFFECT (AND COST) CITIZENS OF NEWTON COUNTY

Wait, so, what’s going on
with the landfill?

If Green Hill can make money off the
landfill, why can’t the county?

Newton County has a landfill problem. Not only is
it losing money on the public landfill and recycling
centers, but it also faces a costly legal battle with the
East Georgia Land & Development Company, which
recently won the right to apply to build its own, private
landfill next to the county’s. Now, the county is trying
to find a solution to kill three buzzards with one stone:
Avoid a new landfill, avoid paying millions in damages
and litigation, and resolve the public landfill’s
environmental and financial problems.

Well, it can, but it hasn’t. Landfills are very lucrative.
One of the ways Green Hill will make the landfill
profitable is by bringing in waste from all over
Georgia, at least 1000 tons a day. That’s four times
what the county currently disposes on a daily basis.
The overall permitted capacity of the landfill would
not change, but it would get filled up sooner, and there
would be more trucks, and more trash coming in on a
daily basis.

Why doesn’t the county implement
Why now?
some of Green Hill’s ideas, but
In 2013, after more than 17 years in court, East Georgia maintain direct control of the landfill?
won the right to apply for a permit to build a private
landfill on the 424 acres it bought next to the county
landfill in the mid-eighties. East Georgia has spent
millions fighting the county for the right to build their
landfill, and they want their money back, sooner rather
than later. However, East Georgia is willing to abandon
their plans for a private landfill, if…

If what? IF WHAT?!
East Georgia has proposed a settlement that would
allow them to recuperate costs without building a
landfill while solving some of the county’s current
landfill issues, both financial and environmental. The
newly-formed Green Hill P3, which includes members
of East Georgia, would lease the county’s landfill
and operate it at a profit. The county would use those
payments to buy back the 424 acres from East Georgia
for $8.5 million.

What’s the relationship between
Green Hill and East Georgia?
Why them?
East Georgia isn’t just getting $8.5 million from the
county for its investment. They also receive cash from
Green Hill directly and equity in the company. That’s
why they come as a package.

If the county turns down East Georgia’s offer and
attempts to turn the landfill around on its own, East
Georgia has threatened to sue for tens of millions in
damages and build its own landfill.

Can they do that?
Probably not all of it. Permitting another landfill would
be extremely difficult, and the process would be
expensive and take years. The proposed landfill would
be next to an existing landfill (strike one), on a river
(strike two), in a historic black neighborhood (strike
three). Studies have shown that solid and toxic waste
facilities are disproportionately located in minority
neighborhoods. It’s such a problem that the EPD has
its own Office of Civil Rights. As for damages, that
would be decided in court and could go either way.
East Georgia has estimated that it is entitled to $25
million, but they would.

What’s next?
The county has tabled a vote on the settlement for
60 days in order to allow for an independent review
and citizen committee to explore alternatives.
County Manager Tom Garrett will be leading the
independent review with experts, and the University
of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government will
facilitate committee meetings. Each commissioner
and the chairman will appoint a citizen representative
to that committee.