GREENE COUNTY — A state representative from Greene County wants people to have more say over what is built in their community.
A bill is moving through the legislature as people in Fairborn and Bath Township continue to worry about a biodigester that was built in the township 10 years ago.
The facility breaks down waste and turns it into fertilizer.
Residents told News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis it’s been causing problems for quite some time.
“Some days it can smell like ammonia, you can get a really strong chemical smell to it,” Rob Anderson, Fairborn city manager said.
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE EPA finds area biodigester in violation of Clean Air Act
“It kind of came in, I call it under the cover of darkness. No one really knew what the facility was until it was already constructed. And the odors started to begin,” Kassie Lester, Bath Township trustee said.
Last year Fairborn and Bath Township sued the operators of the biodigester Renergy Inc. and Dovetail Energy.
The lawsuit claimed they’re running a digestate lagoon at the biodigester facility without controlling ammonia emissions with the best available technology.
in August 2022 the United States Environmental Protection Agency found the owners of the facility had violated the Clean Air Act.
State Rep. Brian Lampton (R-Beavercreek) is cosponsoring House Bill 193 which he hopes could help.
Some of the bill’s components include requiring owners of biosolid lagoons to have covers on the lagoons at all times to protect against orders.
It would also give counties and townships zoning authority over these types of facilities — meaning there’d be a public hearing process where residents can weigh in over biodigester development proposals.
“It comes down to a quality of life issue, I think, you know, we all want to be able to, you know, go outside and enjoy the fresh air,” Lampton said.
“We just want to be able to say, ‘Hey, you’re coming into our community. We’d like to know what you’re building. You know, when’s it gonna happen? What are you bringing in?’ that type of thing. We believe we should have some say on what happens in our communities,” Lorie Venable of Fairborn said.
News Center 7 reached out to the operator of the biodigester for a comment and are waiting to hear back.