JACKSON TOWNSHIP Residents air concerns over septage dump

Trustees and congressmen are investigating the matter.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NORTH JACKSON -- For the second time in less than a week, area residents had the chance to voice their opposition to the possibility of above-ground disposal of sewage in their community.
And more than 100 of them took advantage of the opportunity to have their voices heard.
They attended Tuesday's Jackson Township trustees meeting to find out what progress has been made to stop the spreading of septage on property near state Route 45 and the Ohio Turnpike.
Septage is the solid and liquid material removed from household septic tanks. So far, none has been dumped.
Also at the meeting were Patrick Lorelli, district representative for U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, and Tom Kroni, district director for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th.
Both men were on hand to address residents' concerns and to let them know that the congressmen are aware of, and concerned about, potential health problems relating to the septage.
Kroni said he would look more closely at the federal regulations and be in contact with trustees.
Disposal permit
In October 2003, the Mahoning County Board of Health issued a permit to Rick Glass, owner of a Warren-based septic system company, to dispose of the material on 67 acres he bought on Salem-Warren Road.
That move made many residents angry -- many of whom said the septage could seep into their wells and onto their property during heavy rains, pollute their groundwater, decrease property values and find its way into nearby Meander Reservoir, the Mahoning Valley's primary domestic water source.
In addition to voicing these and other worries, some people wanted to know how much of the low-lying property is considered a wetlands and a flood plain. Federal regulations prohibit dumping septage on saturated ground.
A few expressed anger that despite the permit's being OK'd five months ago, trustees weren't made aware of it until recently. Others wanted to know what can be done to revoke Glass' permit.
Pledge action
Trustee Steve Gondol told residents that he and trustees John Jakubec and Chuck Booth will do all they can to fight the permit issuance.
"We're checking every legal action we can to stop this," Gondol stressed. "We're checking out all legal avenues before we make a move."
Trustees said they would ask the Mahoning County prosecutor's office for a legal opinion on septage being dumped that close to the reservoir.
Trustees also said that they would seek support of other county trustees and that the problem is not isolated just to Jackson Township.
Olin Harkleroad, president of the North Jackson Citizens Association, said he was dismayed by what he said was a lack of state legislation to deal with septage issues.
He referred to material from the Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases Society that mentioned a debate going on in that country about whether sewage sludge should be spread on farmland.
A few years ago, numerous toxins and other hazardous materials contaminated the drinking water of a small town near Toronto because of a lack of health and environmental controls in place, the literature said. That material was less potent than the septage North Jackson may have to deal with, Harkleroad added.