A four-year-old group opposed to a proposed Conecuh County landfill has retained a law firm to seek ways to fight the project.
“Citizens for a Clean Southwest Alabama has retained the services of our firm to explore the legal remedies that may be pursued by their organization and by private landowners in the region,” attorney David Steele Jr. said. “We are in the process of determining what steps can and should be taken to oppose the placement of this proposed dump.”
Citizens for a Clean Southwest Alabama held a press conference — that looked more like a rally — on the steps of the Conecuh County Courthouse Monday, following the county commission meeting.
Landfill opponent Mary Dees, pastor of Sampey AME Zion Church, said the project, which has been proposed by development group Conecuh Woods LLC, would be detrimental to generations of residents in the region.
“We don’t want it; we don’t want it; we don’t want it,” she said. “It would affect not just us but our children and our grandchildren. Why should they use us as a dump spot? They must know God is not pleased. … We are destroying the land. Not only will the ground be destroyed, but our air will be polluted.”
Conecuh Woods LLC officials have said in an application for the project that the landfill will meet or exceed state and federal regulations and will be a “green” facility.
CCSA President Johnny Andrews said the group was frustrated that it had not been given a spot on the commission’s agenda.
“We want to know why the commissioners have decided not to hear from the people they represent,” Andrews said, as dozens of people on the courthouse steps behind him waved “No Dump” signs for television and newspaper cameras.
During the commission meeting, commission Chairman Wendell Byrd said the county will hear from everyone who wants to speak at a scheduled public hearing March 10.
“If we let everybody speak today, it could bog our meeting down,” he said.
Conecuh Woods LLC has proposed building a 5,100-acre landfill just north of the intersection of Alabama Highway 41 and Interstate 65, near Repton.
Also Monday, the county adopted a set of rules that will govern the public hearing, which will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 10, at Reid State Technical College. The county is seeking a retired judge to serve as the hearing officer.
Among the rules:
• Persons wishing to speak at the public hearing must sign in at the registration table giving their name and residence address. Speakers will speak in the order in which they signed up.
• Speakers must speak at the microphone and will be allowed to speak only one time. Before beginning their remarks, speakers must give their name and residence address. Speakers should speak clearly in order that their remarks may be understood by all persons present, including the stenographer recording the public hearing. Persons in the audience will not be allowed to ask questions of speakers. Speakers must address their remarks to the hearing officer.
• Conecuh Woods LLC will make its presentation first and will be allowed 30 minutes to make its presentation. Speakers will be allowed to speak for five minutes.
• Written comments will be received by the commission until the conclusion of the public hearing. If written comments are submitted by U.S. Mail, they must be postmarked no later than the date of the public hearing. Written comments submitted by U.S. Mail should be addressed to: Judy Covan, Conecuh County Administrator, 111 Court St., Evergreen, AL 36401. All written comments timely submitted to the commission on the application of Conecuh Woods LLC will be retained as part of the official administrative record.
• The hearing officer will be in control of the public hearing. Comments from speakers must be germane to the application of Conecuh Woods LLC. Speakers must avoid repeating the remarks of previous speakers. Speakers will not be allowed to make personal attacks as part of their remarks. The hearing officer will eject anyone from the public hearing who, in the sole discretion of the hearing officer, engages in disruptive behavior of any kind. Speakers who fail to comply with these rules will not be allowed to continue to speak.

Public hearing rules
• Persons wishing to speak at the public hearing must sign in at the registration table giving their name and residence address. Speakers will speak in the order in which they signed up.
• Speakers must speak at the microphone and will be allowed to speak only one time. Before beginning their remarks, speakers must give their name and residence address. Speakers should speak clearly in order that their remarks may be understood by all persons present, including the stenographer recording the public hearing. Persons in the audience will not be allowed to ask questions of speakers. Speakers must address their remarks to the hearing officer.
• Conecuh Woods LLC will make its presentation first and will be allowed 30 minutes to make its presentation. Speakers will be allowed to speak for five minutes.
• Written comments will be received by the commission until the conclusion of the public hearing. If written comments are submitted by U.S. Mail, they must be postmarked no later than the date of the public hearing. Written comments submitted by U.S. Mail should be addressed to: Judy Covan, Conecuh County Administrator, 111 Court St., Evergreen, AL 36401. All written comments timely submitted to the commission on the application of Conecuh Woods LLC will be retained as part of the official administrative record.
• The hearing officer will be in control of the public hearing. Comments from speakers must be germane to the application of Conecuh Woods LLC. Speakers must avoid repeating the remarks of previous speakers. Speakers will not be allowed to make personal attacks as part of their remarks.