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October 3, 2008

Dirty water clouds City Council Sunshine Meeting

Residents affected by PCE spill nearly fill chambers

By Brian M. Boyce

TERRE HAUTE — Ongoing concerns about water quality and Standard Register’s former property on North Fruitridge Avenue clouded the Terre Haute City Council’s Sunshine Meeting on Thursday evening, and the topic will be revisited at next week’s regular business meeting.

Councilman Norm Loudermilk, D-3rd, has proposed a $150,000 appropriation from the city’s General Fund to help offset potential costs for an Edgebrook Water Extension that could bring Indiana American Water Co. services to the area.

The council approved the item as a point for discussion at next week’s business meeting, at which time Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said he hopes to have more specific information on the potential project’s scope and costs.

The council chambers were nearly full of residents from the area south of Maple Avenue between Lost Creek and 38th Street, a region in which groundwater may be contaminated by perchloroethylene, aka PCE, from Standard Register’s former plant there.

Six residents spoke individually of their concerns, drawing occasional applause when stating that their thoughts were in agreement with the dozens in attendance and more back home.

“Everyone seems to forget that this all begins with Standard Register,” Theresa Moore said, adding that she and her neighbors had been happy with their wells until learning that contamination could seep into the groundwater at any time. “I don’t feel like we should have to pay … We did absolutely nothing to cause this.”

Moore and others speaking before the council shared the same sentiment that “Standard Register should be held liable for this,” although exactly how the matter is financially resolved is less important than the residents getting access to Indiana American Water.

“Eventually, every house out there will have Indiana American Water,” Robert Moreland said, lending support to neighbor Gary Carpenter and others’ suggestions that the utility company should be willing to bear some cost of the extension as they will ultimately get the new business.

Loudermilk himself was very blunt on the matter. “It’s all their fault,” he said of Standard Register. “They should be the ones to do it.”

But as Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other officials continue to study the situation, Loudermilk said PCEs could be affecting well water and that’s a public safety concern.

“This isn’t just a stop sign,” he said. “It’s their life.”

Discussions with city engineer Chuck Ennis led Loudermilk to believe that running a water line extension to the affected area could cost as much as $300,000, but might cost less after negotiations with the water company and Standard Register.

“Just because we appropriate it doesn’t mean we have to spend it,” he said, noting several times that the city could eventually sue Standard Register to recoup the money spent.

Bennett said his office has been in negotiations with Indiana American Water and hopes to have “the specifics, the engineering and what the costs will be” in time for next Thursday’s business meeting.

While the council agreed to hear the request next week, several members expressed concern that enough specifics are still not known.

Councilman George Azar, D-at large, said he’s holding a “wait- and-see-attitude” until the council is shown the potential costs, as well as the number of residents who will actually choose hooking up to the water lines over their wells.

As several councilmen pointed out, there’s no way to prove the number of homes with contaminated wells as the contamination is, and perhaps will always be, just a possibility.

“This is an ‘if and when’ and it may never happen,” Councilman Rich Dunkin, D-1st, said, adding that many of the area’s homeowners may choose to keep their “free wells” up until they test positive for contamination.

Dunkin also was skeptical of the city’s, or even the residents’, ability to win a lawsuit against Standard Register as the “damages” are in the potential for contamination.

“You can’t prove damages,” he said. “Only the potential for damages.”

Council President Todd Nation, D-4th, encouraged the residents to return for next week’s business meeting, “same time, same place,” at which point more information is hoped to be presented and the issue will be voted upon.

Councilman Turk Roman, D-2nd, clarified that the issue could be tabled for further discussion next week if the financial data from Indiana American Water were not readily available.

Roman also encouraged the neighbors to “get together” and consider a class-action lawsuit against Standard Register.

Because of the lateness of the meeting, Standard Register officials could not be reached for comment. A representative from an environmental services firm working with the company has said that the area has a history of industrial use and that other companies may have dumped chemicals directly into the ground before federal environmental laws were enacted.

n In other business, the council voted to hear 2009 salary ordinances next week for four city positions.

The proposed 2009 salary for city clerk is $53,000, with city judge at $52,222, City Council members at $14,166 and the mayor at $87,035.

City controller Leslie Ellis said the proposed salaries represent between 2 and 3 percent cost-of-living adjustments.

The council will vote on those next week.



Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.

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