After weeks of suffering from smoke from an underground landfill fire in Moody, residents in surrounding areas are hoping for relief from the state after Gov. Kay Ivey proclaimed a state of emergency.
The proclamation states that the fire at 1317 Annie Lee Road "has the potential to impact the health, safety, and welfare of citizens living nearby."
The fire has been burning for more than 50 days, and residents in surrounding areas have complained about air quality issues affecting their health, including nose bleeds and lung issues.
The St. Clair County Commission previously issued a state of emergency in the area but has been unable to spend funds to fix the problem on the private property until now. The state of emergency allows the county to take action to put out the fire.
It was recently discovered that residents near the landfill have been complaining about the landfill for 10 years. In a class-action lawsuit, plaintiffs claimed the owners of the landfill had been negligent in addressing issues discovered by ADEM inspectors.
State Sen. Shay Shelnutt (R-Trussville) told 1819 News he plans to introduce a bill to cut funding to ADEM due to the lack of response he has seen from the state agency.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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