MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Maury County neighbors celebrate as a bill to protect Duck River from proposed landfill passes through legislature.
House lawmakers passed the bill from Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, and Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Howenwald, that designates part of the Duck River as a Class II scenic river.
This designation restricts any type of industrial development from happening within two miles of the river.
Neighbors across Maury County made their concerns known as early as last year after noticing development on the old Monsanto Chemical Company property.
That’s when they discovered that Trinity Business Group had purchased the property with plans of building a 300-plus acre landfill within 1,000 feet of the Duck River. The landfill would accept waste from at least 30 counties in Middle Tennessee.
Trinity President Sidney Brian told lawmakers in committee that this bill would effectively “kill” this landfill which he says is a much-needed resource.
Columbia native Gale Moore says this was never about targeting a landfill, because she understands that there could come a time when a landfill is necessary.
Anywhere near the river, however, she says should be off-limits.
“We realize that is a huge need and I think as a county, we’re going to try to figure out how to meet that need without putting it on the river,” Moore said.
Walker Hoye grew up near the Duck River and remembers stories of when pollution from the Monsanto location contaminated the waterway.
He says it’s taken years to reach this point where at least 250,000 people now rely on the river as their source of drinking water.
“I’ve got a baby daughter. She will be drinking from the Duck River. This is our only reservoir of water. My friends in Spring Hill and Mt. Pleasant, we all depend on this river for clean, healthy, sanitary water,” Hoye said.
Lawmakers were at odds over whether this bill would infringe on property owners’ rights to operate on their land with the proper permits.
Brian told lawmakers that he got support from county elected officials, but failed to name specific lawmakers.
Trinity attorneys have threatened to take legal action if this bill is signed into law.
They told lawmakers that this bill was used to “weaponize the Duck River” against Brian and his property.
