We provide here the interesting recent chronology regarding water and wastewater planning, and the Angler plan, for Brandy-Elkwood: 1. 5/20. Mr. Bossio sends letter to VA Dept. of Envir. Quality (DEQ) requesting extension of the 2010 deadline to build a new County wastewater treatment plant to serve the future Brandy-Elkwood concentration of residential and commercial development. In the letter he notes that the combined DEQ allocations under Town/County consolidation or cooperation would reduce the 2.5 million gal/day (MGD) need down to 1.5 MGD. 2. 5/22. DEQ responds with a Public Notice of comment period, 5/22 - 6/20, on whether DEQ should entertain the County request for a deadline extension. 3. 5/28, Town/County Interaction meeting. Mr. Underwood explains Angler's financial details; Mr. Bossio asks the Council to endorse a County request for extension of the deadline. The Council expresses considerable reluctance. The CSE reported this meeting, 5/29. 4. 6/3, Bd/Supervisors morning session. A DEQ representative mentions the County's D/L extension request, whereupon Mr. Nixon noted that the Board had not yet authorized foregoing a million gallons. 5. 6/5, Mr. Chase signs a letter to DEQ reporting that the BOS subsequently voted 6-0 (Mr. Chase was not himself available for the vote) to confirm the intention as expressed in Mr. Bossio's letter. 6. Culpeper Star-Exponent, 6/15, reports the County request and Public Notice re extension. 7. CCC inquiries, 6/16: a. The Piedmont Environmental Council agrees with the reduced allocation; and will attempt a financial analysis. Angler has requested a meeting with PEC President. b. CCC obtains the very difficult to locate DEQ Public Notice, and partial explanations for its unusual nature. c. CSE agrees there is no more pressing issue for Culpeper at this time; and will continue diligent reporting. Ms. Garrett (Classified Ads), searched and could not find that DEQ had filed for CSE to run the short-notice 30-day Public Notice, a type she had never seen. d. Mr. Bossio states his hope that the Town would comment favorably on DEQ's Public Notice; that the ‘unique' consolidation possibility may convince DEQ to approve an extension; and that the County has not decided about Angler. 8. 6/17. Steve Southard, former County Treasurer, writes a well balanced article in the CSE pointing out the inherent financial dangers in the Angler proposal and calling for a public referendum. 9. The BOS has scheduled two closed sessions for next week (subjects unknown, but presumably at least one will be for this issue); and a Public Hearing specifically for the Angler proposal, Thursday, June 26th, 7:00 PM. 10. For the past week, Angler has been calling residents to request their support; to invite them to a dinner and ‘pre-briefing’ at the Hazel Inn, 6/26, and announcing the subsequent County Public Hearing as its own hearing. This survey includes significant obfuscation of facts, a heavy push for support, and considerable arrogance. The reply postcard is constructed cleverly to construe any response as support! The CCC Board still feels neither it, nor the public, nor the Culpeper BOS has nearly enough information to make an informed decision on this matter of historic magnitude. Obviously, we welcome your comments on this remarkable turn of events, and certainly recommend public attendance at the 6/26 Hearing. In the interim, the best responses to surveyors we have heard are: "Thank you, I will reserve my comments for my Supervisor" or “Thank you, we do not respond to unsolicited calls.” The Directors CCC, Inc.
Culpeper Supervisor Steve Nixon reacted with astonishment when a =tate official began to discuss a letter that suggested the county might be =illing to give up 1 million gallons of its allotted sewage-treatment capacity in =xchange for extending a deadline to use it.
John Kennedy of the Department of Environmental Quality had come to =he Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday to explain how the agency had come to =llocate Culpeper County 2.5 million gallons of capacity for a Mountain Run sewage-treatment plant.
He also explained the reason why the DEQ gave the county five years =o get a plant online to begin using that capacity, citing as an example a =aroline County plant that has had allotted capacity on the books for 11 years =ut has never been built.
Kennedy then mentioned a letter dated May 20 that asked for an =xtension of Culpeper's Dec. 31, 2010, deadline. The DEQ spokesman said the letter =uggested that the county would give up 1 million gallons per day of capacity if a =town-county consolidation effort is enacted.
"We did not agree to do that!" Nixon stated emphatically.
Kennedy responded that he had the letter in his possession and that =t had been signed by County Administrator Frank Bossio.
"This board did not vote to forgo 1 million gallons of allocation!" =ixon replied. "That allocation is worth a lot of money! It is a revenue =ource!"
Minutes later, Allen Brockenbrough, also representing the DEQ, =onfirmed Nixon's statement that sewage-treatment capacity is indeed a tradable =ommodity, especially in the high-growth Rappahannock River Basin.
"You should take steps to maintain that cap," Brockenbrough advised =he board.
In his opening remarks, Kennedy said he had proposed to "fast-track" =ulpeper County's extension request, taking it to the State Water Control Board =s early as July. After hearing Nixon's remarks, however, Kennedy began having =econd thoughts.
"I don't see any need to go to the [State Water Control] Board if =here is no environmental benefit," Kennedy said.
There was no further open discussion of Bossio's letter and the =ounty administrator did not say who authorized him to make the 1 =illion-gallon suggestion.
Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com