Owner now faces EPA violations

Curtis Crump is seeking a sewer tap-in from the city for other property.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- A township business owner who recently locked horns with city officials over sewer tie-in permits, will now have to deal with violation notifications from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on a separate business venture.
Ohio EPA officials, in a letter addressed to Curtis Crump, owner of Average Joe Truck Rodeo, and dated May 15, detailed several environmental violations on property north of the Hubbard waste treatment plant and east of Mill Street here. The project is identified as the Big Game project site in EPA papers.
Details of the letter
According to the letter, in early March, clearing, grading, excavating and placement of fill had begun on the property without proper erosion and sediment controls to protect nearby creeks and wetlands. The site also had not been issued a permit for storm water associated with construction activity, nor had the required notice of intent application been submitted to the state, the letter states.
The notice of intent application was later submitted and the site approved for five acres of land disturbance, but inspectors later learned that about 20 acres had been disturbed, the letter said.
Crump was given two days to request an increase in the allowable land disturbance acreage and 10 days to submit a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan for the site to county officials, according to the letter.
It also notes that inspectors witnessed sediment and laden runoff discharging into "waters of the state" from numerous areas on the site and orders Crump to temporarily stabilize those areas with seeding and mulch and install fencing along the length of any disturbance near state waters.
Crump was also given a specific amount of time to provide documentation showing that work being done on the site was approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, it states.
Seeks sewer tap-in
Crump recently applied to Hubbard City Council for a sewer tap-in for property on Elmwood Drive Extension, holding what is billed as the area's only off-road arena. The request, after much discussion among council members, was ultimately denied, with four members voting against it.
Crump has said the permit is needed to operate the business. Several council members this week suggested that Crump change his request for a tap-in from residential to commercial.
jgoodwin@vindy.com