Newspaper Page Text
Page 10 November 12, 2023 StarNews www.starnewsgaonline.com
Carroll Electric
Membership Cooperative
Community Built. Community Builder.
(770) 832-3552
carroUemc.com
COOKING IP SAVINGS
I IIIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Make a list of what needs to be
taken out from and put away in your
fridge and try to do it all at one time.
Match the size of your burner to
the pot or pan you are using, so
you do not waste energy.
Use small appliances like a
slow cooker, toaster oven or
microwave when possible.
Cover pots and pans to keep
the heat inside and speed up
cooking time.
Keep the oven door closed
and use your oven light to
monitor bake times.
SEWAGE SPILL UPDATE from front
Department of Environmental Health (CCDEH)
who visited the site, “the pond then spills into a
[Buck] creek that is in close proximity to the
pond”. According to Brian Boutelle, Georgia
Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD)
Storm Water and Drinking Water employee,
GA EPD has observed, on at least one occasion,
unpermitted wastewater discharges from the
nursing home entering Buck Creek, a water of
the state.
Through a series of recent emails (November
lst-3rd) with Brian Boutelle, StarNews learned
that the nursing home has
provided EPD with a “Corre
ctive Plan of Action”
addressing this large environ
mental spill. Boutelle was the
EPD employee who was first
alerted about the environ
mental spill last April 27th by
CCDEH Manager Jake
Holloway.
All of Boutelle’s email
responses to these Freedom
of Information questions
with StarNews over the course of the three days
were expeditious.
According to Boutelle, the owner of
Carrollton Nursing and Rehabilitation facility,
2327 Highway 27, Carrollton, was given 15
days (that began from the date of receipt of the
violation letter which was mailed August 2,
2023) to submit an action plan outlining correc
tive measures to prevent - and in this case to
also halt - unpermitted discharges of wastewater
from the system.
Boutelle said, “We have an active enforce
ment case at this facility to bring the site into
compliance with the Rules.”
Boutelle also said that GA EPD will provide
oversight to this plan of action.
StarNews questioned Boutelle as to “What
remedial actions would be expected for the
environmental areas affected by the longtime
sewage spill into that area’s watershed?”
Boutelle’s response: “Section 12-5-51 of the
Water Quality Control Act provides that any
person who intentionally or negligently causes
or permits any sewage, industrial waste, or other
waste, oils, scums, floating debris, or substances
to be spilled discharged or deposited, into the
waters of State, resulting in a condition of pollu
tion, may be held liable for damages to the
State.”
Then he added in this initial email exchange
that, “Fortunately, we have not observed where
unpermitted discharges have entered waters of
the state.”
This was an unexpected statement, as the
wastewater spill has been witnessed and
documented.
StarNews asked: “Is Buck Creek not a ‘water
of the state’?
“Is Little Tallapoosa River not a ‘water of the
state’?
“Did you or an EPD representative visit the
spill in person?”
Boutelle’s response: “Both are waters of the
state. I have been out to the site on 2 occasions
- both after our violation letter was issued
[August 2nd], Our initial site visit was con
ducted by another inspector in this office.”
StarNews: “So to clarify: 1. You did not wit
ness the spill entering Buck Creek?
“2. The other inspector did not witness the
spill entering Buck Creek?
“3. You did not witness the flow from the
pond into Buck Creek?
“4. The other inspector did not witness the
flow from the pond into Buck Creek?”
Boutelle: “Correct. The other inspector was
there in early June, and they said they believe it
was entering the creek. I have not. They did - in
early June.”
In another attempt to clarify this conflicting
exchange and gamer facts, StarNews asked:
“1. You said the other inspector stated he/she
saw and “believed it was entering the creek”
while visiting in person during early June
“2. You said Buck Creek is a water of the
state
“3. But, you said earlier that ‘Fortunately, we
have not observed where unpermitted dis
charges have entered waters of the state.’
“If the other inspector observed it entering
the creek, then there has been an observation of
unpermitted discharges entering waters of the
state, correct?”
Boutelle: ‘That is cor
rect. That was observed
during her initial site
visit along with Carroll
County Environmental
Health. She said it was
wet and rainy that day,
but she believes that it
reached the creek.”
Then Boutelle added,
“I should modify that
last statement to ‘I have not personally
observed where unpermitted discharges have
entered waters of the state’.”
StarNews: “Thank you so much for that
clarification that GA EPD has observed on, at
least one occasion, unpermitted (sewage) dis
charges entering a water of the state.”
Through those email responses from
Boutelle, he confirmed that Buck Creek and the
Little Tallapoosa River were indeed waters of
the state (common knowledge); that although
he did not witness the sewage spill, one EPD
inspector did observe the wastewater flow dur
ing an onsite visit to the nursing home in early
June.
StarNews: “With raw sewage from this nurs
ing home having spilled into Buck Creek
(which connects with Little Tallapoosa River)
for what appears to be 20 continuous years,
what actions would be expected from GA EPD
in the coming weeks or years insofar as the
environment and any damage to the biodiver
sity or watershed along the creek/river’s path?”
Boutelle: “To be determined”.
StarNews: “According to Section 12-5-51 of
the Water Quality Act, what damages/fines
could the Carrollton Nursing and
Rehabilitation owner be facing?”
Boutelle: “To be determined”.
Carrollton Nursing and Rehabiliation was
constructed in 1986. Current owner is Blue
Stone Realty Associates LP, Daniel Allen
Ehrich oflnwood, NY (Long Island) purchased
Carrollton Nursing and Rehabiliation, also
known as Carroll Convalescent Center, August
5, 2021, from Great Oaks Nursing Homes for
$13.9M ($13,957,895). Built in 1986, it sits on
15.36 acres. Importantly, Great Oaks Nursing
Homes was owner and operator for 26 years
(1995-2021). Great Oaks purchased the facility
in February 1995 from Eugene Bishop for
$1.9M ($1,953,429).
See NURSING HOME page 25
According to Brian Boutelle,
Georgia Environmental Protection
Division’s (EPD) Storm Water and
Drinking Water employee, GA
EPD has obsen’ed, on at least one
occasion, unpermitted wastewater
discharges from the nursing home
entering Buck Creek, a water of the
state.
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