HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — People living in Lutz voiced their concerns over a proposed plan for air curtain incinerators, saying they’re not welcome in their neighborhood, while at a meeting Thursday, Hillsborough County officials took action.
“I’m here today as a mom, as a citizen, a taxpayer, a churchgoer, a volunteer,” said Jenna Paladino, who lives near the proposed site.
The Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) of Hillsborough County held a meeting Thursday, where they heard a presentation on a pending application for an air pollution permit to operate air curtain incinerators, or ACIs, in the Lutz area.
Neighbors have voiced their concerns for several days over potential health, safety, environmental, and even traffic impacts.
“I hope they get the message that this is wrong, and they should have done a lot more research before deciding to put a facility like this here,” said Jen Messer, who lives near the site in Lutz.
According to a presentation during Thursday’s meeting, the applicant is requesting to build two ACIs to dispose of yard debris, and if granted, they would burn up to 22,000 tons of debris each year.
“This is a permanent facility that would be right in the heart of a neighborhood, and it’s inappropriate, it’s incompatible, it’s dangerous, and frankly, it’s offensive,” said Commissioner Ken Hagan.
Some commissioners said they were as upset as residents were. Hagan later made a motion, directing EPC to stop work on their permit and to send a letter to the Governor, Secretary of the DEP, and state legislators expressing their stern opposition to this project.
The motion carried 7 to 0.
“I think it was important for us to take a stand and be united with the community that there’s no reason for this incinerator, this furnace to be in the heart of the neighborhood,” said Hagan.
ABC Action News reached out to a representative for the permit applicant and is waiting to hear back.
