SLUDGE VICTIMS

DESOTO COUNTY - The DeSoto County Commission conducted the first of two required public hearings Tuesday night on a proposed sludge regulation ordinance that has been under consideration since early May.

Sludge includes a number of domestic wastewater residuals qenerated by wastewater treatment plants. According to agricultural scientists, this waste is rich in nutrients and may be applied to farmland as a form of fertilizer. The most commonly used sludges used for fertilizer are the treated Classes AA, A and B.

Opponents of this land spreading use say that the lesser treated forms of sludge, especially Class B, produces obnoxious odors and transmits diseases.

The DeSoto Planning Commission, at its June 5 meeting, voted to recommend county commissioners ban the use of Class B sludge in DeSoto County.

The board Tuesday agreed to consider reimposing a ban on Class B ludge,

When the sludge ordinance was first brought up, the original draft included a ban on Class B sludge, but after hearing from local users and producers of the Class B sludge, the board clecided to permit it under the ordinance.

Opponents of Class B sludge never let up in subsequent workshops and they were back again at Tuesday's hearing, the faces becoming more familiar to the board: Art Beecher, Tammie Bond, Tracy Hoppel, Mari Hollingsworth and Allen Behrens. All urged the board to ban Clas's B sludge.

George Chase, of DeSoto Citizens Against Pollution, urged that all sludge brought into the county be upgraded to A or AA or have it banned, and that produced in the county be hauled out.

Opponents' efforts seem to be having an effect as two commissioners came out firmly against allowing Class B sludge to be land spread in the county.

Commissioner Terry Welles supported the ban. 'I move, will move and will continue to move that we allow no Class B sludge to be spread In DeSoto County - period,` he declared , "And I stand firm on that. Treat Class B or haul it out."

"I agree with Commissioner Welles o n the A and AA,' said Commissioner Bill Ajtman. "I'm still (GAP) A and AA and have been from the beginning. In looking out for the health and welfare of the people of DeSoto County - that's what we're here trying to do - there's no other reason for being here, there's no other reason to be making this ordinance. It's certainly not to punish or hurt anyone who's in business, none of us want to do that. I hope everyone on the board when it comes down to a vote will highly consider an A, AA only. I think that gives up (ed.us) our greatest protection."

At the urging of environmentalists Maurice Brown and Behrens, the board also agreed to revise the minimum setback requirements for land spreading of sludge to apply a 3,000-foot setback for all tributaries of the Peace River in DeSoto County, rather than just the lower portions of the tributaries."If you're going to protect the water, protect it all,' said Commissioner Welles. He urged that the minimum setbacks for land spreading sludge near shallow potable water supply wells be extended from 500 feet to 1.000 feet. 'We're talking about drinking water.' He also asked that 1000 foot minimum for residences be extended to 3,000 feet.

Commissioner Ronald Neads, a persistent supporter of sludge regulation, said, "We need to protect all the waterways in De.Soto County.'

The board also added county roads to the 200-foot minimum setback list.

The second public hearing on the sludge ordinance is scheduled for June 25.

By JOHN LAWHORNE