Smalltowngal points out a call-to-action on the Oakhurst Message Board urging area residents to contact their local legislators about Georgia House Bill 274, which would lift the statewide ban on yard waste in landfills (with “linings”) under the premise that the additional garbage would increase methane captured as a renewable energy source.

The AJC actually wrote an extensive article on the bill back on March 12th…

If approved, the bill would end a state ban on yard trimmings in landfills that was imposed in 1996 with the stated goals of conserving landfill capacity and promoting recycling. Delaware this year became the 23rd state to impose such a ban.

The city of Atlanta and the federal Environmental Protection Agency are on the side of environmental lobbyists who are working to kill the bill. On the other side, the waste management companies have lobbyists, attorneys and what some would argue is a distinct advantage: They wrote the bill.

Yum.  Sewage leakage.

The AJC reports in an extensive article this morning that the Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that DeKalb County upgrade its 50 year-old sewage system after over 800 leaks have been reported over the past 5 years.  Failure to do so will result in daily fines of $37,500 a day.

The DeKalb County Commission is scheduled to vote on over $1 billion in sewer and water system upgrades at tonight’s commission meeting.  Many DeKalb residents have voiced passionate displeasure at what this will mean for their water bills – which will increase dramatically over the next couple years – citing the recession and financial difficulties.  Unfortunately, raw sewage waits for no man or woman.

And it seems like Decatur has been ground zero for pipe failure lately…

Two weeks ago, the county had to close portions of Second Avenue in Decatur after pipes broke and 40,800 gallons of sewage spilled, according to water department records. Last week, the county had to suspend water service for 12 hours to residents near Glenwood Road and Parkhill Drive in Decatur after a water main burst. And a rail section in Decatur is closed this weeks to repair a water main under the tracks.

Yuck.