---
date: 2005-03-17
title: March 17, 2005 Minutes
source: 2005-03/2005-03-17_March 17, 2005_Minutes.pdf
pages: 1
---

March 17, 2005

CITY OF STOCKBRIDGE MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETING
HENRY COUNTY, GEORGIA MARCH 17, 2005

City of Stockbridge Biosolids land application in Butts County
Thursday March 17, 2005 7:00pm-9:00pm
at the Plantation Lodge in Jackson, Butts County, Georgia

Kathy Stege of Stantec Consulting Engineers, Macon, Georgia called the meeting to order and introduced
the persons present on behalf of the City of Stockbridge, which were Brad Holtsinger, Stockbridge
Wastewater Treatment Superintendent, and Sara Berlin, a registered mediator.

Ms. Stege explained that the public meeting was required by the Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
She then provided general information about the practice of biosolids land application, the kind of treatment
plant the City operates, the Butts County land that is approved to take the City’s biosolids, the testing and
oversight that’s conducted on the biosolids, and the amount of biosolids applied. She recognized Julia
Gaskin of the University of Georgia Extension Service as an impartial biosolids expert; Ms. Gaskin stated
that she was present at the request of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Edwards.

Ms. Berlin then conducted the rest of the meeting. She explained that she is an impartial settlement
specialist hired by the City so that the people at the meeting could express their concerns. The group
agreed to list all their concerns without discussion, and then they were to be answered by Ms. Stege.

Mrs. Edwards expressed concern that no one was recording everything said. Ms. Stege stated that the
minutes would be a summary of the meeting, and not a verbatim transcription.

The following is a list of the concerns expressed by the people attending the meeting, and a summary of
Ms. Stege’s responses (in italics). Due to time constraints, only items 1-17 were answered in the meeting.
Ms. Stege agreed to provide the answers to all the questions in writing.

1. What is the stability test?
A measure of the organic material. A low value in the specific oxygen uptake rate means that the
biosolids will not attract vectors (birds, flies, rodents), nor will it have excessive odors.
2. Provide a written summary of the details Ms. Stege opened the meeting with.
Stockbridge wastewater treatment plant does not have any industries discharging to it. It only gets
waste from domestic sources such as homes, offices, and restaurants. The solids are composted in a
new, specially designed tank (a poster showing the digester was on display) to meet USEPA Class B
land application standards. The written plan to take the biosolids includes laboratory test data; it was
approved by EPD in April 2005. A public meeting was advertised in Butts County and Henry County.
Due to an oversight by Ms. Stege, a meeting was not held in Butts County. The 3/17/05 meeting was
required by EPD to fulfill that requirement. Land application to the Butts County property began in July
2004. The Butts County property is 5 miles southwest of Jackson off Hwy 16 and High Falls Rd. It is
about 25 acres of pasture. In 2004, 382,000 gallons were applied, which is 30 dry tons. EPD set a
maximum of 150 dry tons/year for the property. EPD requires 7/yr fecal coliform (bacteria) tests, 7/yr
stability tests, and 1/yr metals and fertilizer characteristics. All of the biosolids land applied met the test
standards.
3. Provide the attendees a copy of the minutes and the written plan.
A copy is being sent to each person who signed the attendance sheet; a copy of the attendance sheet
is attached. A total of 25 interested citizens attended. Not all of them signed the attendance sheet.
4. What is the impact to the Towaliga River?
No impact to the Towaliga River from biosolids land application on the subject property is likely or
expected.
5. Where do the streams on the subject property drain?
The intermittent streams that flow across the subject property drain to the Towaliga River upstream of
High Falls Lake. This information was not included in the written plan supplied to EPD, as it is not
required by EPD. The Towaliga from below High Falls Lake to the Ocmulgee River is on EPD’s list of
streams partially supporting designated uses due to fecal coliform. The high fecal coliform values in
the Towaliga River were detected before biosolids land application on the subject property began, and
are likely due to failing septic tanks.
6. How do we avoid getting the biosolids in the stream?
EPD requires that we don’t land apply within 100 feet of any drainage, streams, or ponds, and the City
complies with that requirement.
7. What are the airborne risks?
The biosolids are liquid. They are not sprayed out of the truck, but rather are dropped on the ground
from about 3 feet, so no aerosols are created during application. The dried biosolids once on the
ground would become airborne no more than commercial fertilizer. No peer reviewed scientific study
has shown an increased human health risk from airborne property applied Class B biosolids.
8. What is the odor?
A sample of biosolids was provided in jar for anyone who wanted to look at or smell the material.
Biosolids are often described as having a musty, earthy smell. The City did land apply some biosolids
for a week that, though they met all the safety and EPD requirements, had a strong off-odor. When the
landowner complained, the City changed the operation of the tank to eliminate the strong off-odor. The
Edwards stated that they continue to find the odor unacceptable.
9. What independent oversight is there?
EPD seldom if ever inspects biosolids land application, but rather relies on the City to self-monitor.
Many people voiced a desire for independent oversight.
10. Does Butts County have the right to monitor and charge?
EPD regulations allow for the County to provide reasonable oversight and testing, and to charge the
City for it.
11. What is the damage to the road from the City’s biosolids truck?
The County is responsible for maintaining and repairing County roads. The City truck follows the road
regulations. The County attorney introduced himself at this time, and confirmed that the County could
not stop the City truck from using the roads. Any concerned people should contact the Butts County
road department for any upgrades or repairs to the roads.
12. What can be done about the road being 1 lane and people living on the road sometimes have
to back up because they cannot get around the biosolids truck.
Any concerned people should contact the Butts County road department for any upgrades or repairs to
the roads.
13. Early morning and weekend biosolids deliveries are disruptive.
The City will limit deliveries to 9:00-5:00, Monday-Friday.
14. Why would anyone want biosolids?
Biosolids are provided free of cost, and provide nitrogen, phosphorus, and micronutrient fertilizer. Also,
the organic portion is a soil amendment that adds to the topsoil.
15. Will this public meeting be brought up at a council meeting?
No plans are currently being made to put it on the City’s agenda for a council meeting. A copy of these
minutes will be provided to the mayor and council for review.
16. Who owns the subject property?
Becky and David Shiflett.
17. How is the landowner compensated?
The only compensation is the fertilizer value of the biosolids, and lime provided by the City because
EPD regulations require the soil pH to be kept near neutral.
18. The High Falls Association requests information about what kinds and amounts of chemicals
would be in the runoff from biosolids, and their impact to wildlife.
No more, and usually less, impact to the stream or wildlife comes from properly applied biosolids than
from commercial fertilizer, chicken litter, or cow manure.
19. How long would it take for biosolids to fill in High Falls Lake?
The biosolids from the subject property would never fill in High Falls Lake in any amount whatsoever.
20.What if an emergency vehicle needed to get past the biosolids truck on the 1 lane road?
The biosolids truck would move out of the way as quickly as possible.
21. What impact is there on property values?
Due to urbanization, upscale subdivisions and homes are frequently built adjoining existing wastewater
treatment plants and biosolids land application sites. There is not a documented effect on property
value due to properly applied biosolids.
22. Communication with the neighbors has been poor. No direct contact was made with the
neighbors prior to commencing land application. The public notice was written so vaguely that the
neighbors could not tell that the project was near them, and so missed the opportunity to voice
opposition before the permit was issued.
EPD does not require individual notification of neighbors of biosolids land application on adjoining
property. The language in the public notice of the public meeting complied with EPD requirements.
The City has since the initial public notice gone above the EPD requirements. Copies of the written
plan and the annual report were supplied to all the adjoining neighbors. The City met with the
neighbors in October 2004 to answer questions, hear concerns, and provide information; the Edwards
declined to attend.

The City contacted the Edwards earlier in March 2005 to meet to discuss the biosolids; they declined.
23. Why and how was the site selected?
Someone working for the City knew the landowner and asked them if they would be interested. City
personnel don’t know many farmers to ask. The site had many desirable characteristics (multiple fields
so the cattle could be kept off the field for 30 days after application, relatively flat, established pasture,
easy access of I-75).
24. Are there plans to expand how much is applied?
EPD allows no more the 150 dry tons/year. The City applied 30 dry tons in 2004 over a period of 5
months. Certainly more than 30 dry tons could be applied over a 12 month period in 2005.
25. What is the impact to the food chain?
No adverse impact due to properly applied Class B biosolids has been found in peer reviewed scientific
studies.
26. Can the biosolids run off into the stream during a very heavy rain?
Biosolids are not land applied when rain is imminent. Previously applied biosolids could run off to the
same extent chicken litter or commercial fertilizer could.
27. Describe the political process and chain of events.
The City decided to land apply biosolids to save landfilling costs and to practice beneficial reuse. The
City hired Ms. Stege with Stantec to review possible sites, coordinate the biosolids testing, write the
plan, review the site with EPD, and advertise and conduct the public meeting. The City and landowner
signed a contract, EPD approved the site and the plan, and the public meeting was held in Stockbridge.
EPD then issued a letter saying the City could commence land application.
28. Describe engineering process.
EPD’s guidance manual was followed in full. Soil samples were collected from the fields and tested by
the UGA extension service. Biosolids were tested. The site was checked for soil type, slope, depth to
groundwater. The site and immediately surrounding areas were field checked for houses, drainage
ways, streams, and ponds, property boundaries, wells, and roads. The amount of land to be used as
buffer was computed and marked off on site maps. All this information was compiled in a plan and sent
to EPD. EPD reviewed the plan, and then inspected this site.
29. What regulations pertain to consideration of the neighbors?
The only regulations that we are aware of that require involvement of the neighbors are the published
public notice in the newspaper and the public meeting, and the allowance for the host county to test
and monitor the biosolids and charge the generator for this.

Ms. Stege adjourned the meeting at 9:00.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy J. Stege, CEA
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.
