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Dump trucks unload sewage sludge in Westmoreland County near Kinsale. The loads originated near Washington. |
RICHMOND--A group of Republican delegates yesterday said they will push for more studies and monitoring of biosolids, treated human waste used as fertilizer by farmers.
The delegates, mostly from the Lynchburg area but including Del. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, said there isn't enough regulation of the use of biosolids to make sure they're being used safely and not harming either the people who live near the farms where they're spread, or the environment.
"People are deeply concerned about the use of sludge," said Del. Kathy Byron, R-Campbell, who said public meetings about sludge draw hundreds of "angry and frightened" constituents.
"We have a mass hysteria in our district," she said.
People who live near fields where biosolids are used have reported ammonia and other smells and health problems. Companies that spread it say they're safe.
But the delegates said there isn't enough proof of that, nor is there enough oversight.
Currently, biosolids are regulated by the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Quality.
But the delegates said the health department has been unresponsive to complaints.
Byron and Wittman both have bills to move all oversight of biosolids to the DEQ.
"We simply have not gotten any response from the health department," said Del. Watkins Abbitt, I-Appomattox. "We are frustrated."
Wittman's bill would not only put the DEQ in charge of all biosolids, it would also require a state or local regulatory official to be present whenever sludge is applied, and would raise the per-ton fee on biosolids to pay for it.
"The root issue folks have is the confidence in the existing system of monitoring," Wittman said. "The public doesn't have the type of confidence in the process they need to have."
Wittman said some localities do their own monitoring of biosolids, for which they assess a fee. But that creates a patchwork system, he said, and not all localities do that. There's also a question of whether local officials can enforce state statutes, and so local monitors mostly wind up calling on the state health department officials anyway.
The other delegates' bills include legislation that gives local governments more authority to restrict sewage sludge usage; a moratorium on biosolid use until the DEQ determines there is no public health risk; and a resolution that would study the effects of biosolids use.
"A lot of us, including citizens, want to know what's being spread in there," Abbitt said.
Wittman said in his district, much of the sewage sludge comes from Maryland, and an inspector always comes with it to monitor its application. He thinks Virginia should do its own monitoring as well.
Biosolid regulation has been an issue in the legislature for several years, but the delegates said they hope that by banding together, they'll draw more attention to the issue and more support from their fellow lawmakers.
"Every year they start spreading [biosolids] in one more community," said Del. Clarke Hogan, R-South Boston. "And we gain one more legislator."
To reach CHELYEN DAVIS:
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com
