Judge Clarifies Wilbros Order Applies to Toccoa Site

The judge in the Wilbros’ case makes a clarification in his last court order.

Last week, Judge Robert Adamson issued what is called an “amended and restated emergency order.”

Stephens County Attorney Brian Ranck said that the judge amended the original order from late March in order to clarify that it only applies to the Toccoa site.

Ranck said there are no other substantive changes to that order from the judge to Wilbros.

In that March 24 order, Judge Adamson ordered that Wilbros shall immediately stop receiving, accepting, or transporting to its Toccoa site any solid or liquid waste materials for treatment, storage, release, field application, or any other purpose until further order of the court.

Judge Adamson also ordered that Wilbros must stop all composting processes at the Toccoa site, as well as case what it calls its “nutrient management” operations at the Toccoa site until further notice of the court.

Adamson said until the court approves that process, there will be no ground injection, field applications in-ground, or above ground storage of the materials and no such process will be approved that would be carried out at the Toccoa site.

The judge also ordered Wilbros to stop excavating, ditching, landfill covering, or burying any solid or liquid waste or by product, fully at the Toccoa site. and completely comply with any written order from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division as a part of its Closure Procedure, and put up a $100,000 bond to assure compliance with this and any future court orders.

Wilbros, a Rose Lane facility, has been at the center of controversy for years regarding the odor emanating from the Toccoa site.

Following the judge’s order in March, Wilbros then withdrew its appeal in April of an administrative order issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division in 2014 that revoked Wilbros’ waste water and solid waste permits for the Toccoa site that were needed for Wilbros to operate the facility.