- The settlement agreement establishes and enforces further public health protection.
- The agreement calls for more community engagement, including requiring that the company convene public forums twice a year to receive comments about impacts of the plant on the nearby communities.
- The company is required to be proactive about pollution monitoring and controls, and will share pollution data directly with the environmental advocacy organization and community members.
By: Southern Environmental Law Center | January 7, 2023
Concerned Citizens of Cook County (4C), represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, reached a settlement agreement with Spectrum Energy Georgia LLC in the operation of a proposed wood pellet plant in Adel.
Effective December 24, 2022, the agreement includes more protections for public health than the permit authorized by state regulators, and stronger enforceability provisions in the case that Spectrum fails to comply with the settlement. In fact, if unable to fulfill its obligations to the Adel community by monitoring and controlling air pollution, Spectrum will not proceed to a second, more robust level of operations.
In addition, it outlines terms to ensure more transparency and input from the public and members of 4C — including a stipulation that Spectrum’s pollution data will be shared directly with the advocacy organization — and 4C’s participation in ongoing dialogue between Spectrum and impacted communities.
Read more from the Southern Environmental Law Center.
