Alachua County Commissioners may be asking the owners of a contaminated former wood processing plant to pay up — and they aren’t the only ones looking for compensation.
After decades of citizen and government frustration over the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site cleanup, the commission will seek $43,621.34 from Beazer East Inc. to cover staff and consultant pay that came with planning how to clean up the contaminated site. The commission is also looking into joining citizen lawsuits against the company.
“I think we owe it to the citizens of this county to at least further investigate,” Commissioner Rodney Long said, “so we can ensure justice for those citizens who have suffered for decades.”
The commission decided to have County Attorney Dave Wagner work with city staff since the Gainesville City Commission is also interested in making a claim.
At the March 22 commission meeting, Alachua County residents invited the commission to join their lawsuit, which seeks compensation for the decrease in their property values and relocation from their contaminated homes. To date, two class-action lawsuits have been made against Beazer East by two groups of citizens.
On Tuesday, commissioners expressed sympathy toward their cause but were searching for a legal way to enter the fight.
Wagner said he couldn’t find any legal theory that supports a local government getting involved in a citizen lawsuit.
But he said he would hire an expert in environmental law, Terry Zinn, to help him look for options. Wagner said he would be able to hire Zinn as a consultant for less than $5,000.
Commissioner Susan Baird and Chairman Lee Pinkoson expressed sympathy toward the affected residents, recapping their stories of being confined to their contaminated houses because they can’t afford to sell them and move away.
“If we can help the people,” Pinkoson said, “then we should try to help them because it has definitely harmed the people in that community.”
