South Carolina
Mega Dump

To The Editor:
Went to Florence, SC on 9-24 to hear the lawyers from Marlboro County vs. the lawyers from MRR, ZV Pate.  Most of the Marlboro County Council members were there including its chair lady Dr. Carolyn Prince.  It was mostly big lawyer talk with one judge presiding.  As they were talking, I was thinking about our almost four year fight against MRR Corporation and ZV Pate with our concerned citizens of Marlboro County.
How at the first meeting at the Wallace School when Rep. Doug Jennings said he was for the dump because the county was broke and needed the funds!  We found out that all the garbage was coming from the whole east coast, New York on up!  We remember when DHEC promised not to issue permits if the county didn’t want it.
Our bill S-324 put on the table by Senator Gerald Malloy passed the Senate 42 to 0.  The proposed moratorium on mega-landfills, bill S-324 suffered a lethal blow by five republicans.  Conservationists said the subcommittee’s failure to approve the moratorium leaves S.C. without a policy to protect citizens from large sick smelling garbage dumps.
OIF local judges are persuaded to suspend the tighter rules, we will really be hurt.  S.C. Corporations win over County and people are not in the morn but S.C. and some of its big wheels are trying to make it so.
We are up to six strong no’s from our county.  1- 3000 signatures from our area churches; 2- referendum vote 94%; 3- zoning board no; 4- planning board no; 5- all members of Marlboro County Council no; 6- Draft decision by DHEC against the landfill no.
Now that the judge said he will give a decision in 30 days on the county lawsuit against MRR and ZV Pate, it ask how does it look.
If the judge said no, the county gets to appeal; if yes, it’s good for us, but they get to appeal.
I hope the county wins but we the Concerned Citizens of Marlboro County still have our lawsuit against MRR and ZV Pate.
What’s at stake is S.C. becoming a garbage state or staying a tourist state.  Just got to keep hoping and praying.
P.S.  To those 5 Republicans who made that talk or speeches against the people in favor of the mega dump, S-324, God Bless You.
These corporations and companies who are doing this to us aren’t going to live here, but ship this trash to be buried here for 35 years or more.
Average American,
John T. Nickoless
Bennettsville, SC