The City of Bellmead has received a notice of violation after state investigators found 210 scrap tires and municipal solid waste were found on two different city easements in February.
This comes after the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality conducted an investigation into a complaint.
According to TCEQ, the city failed to comply with Texas law, which states someone can’t cause or allow the dumping of municipal solid waste without having authorization from the commission.
TCEQ has ordered the city of dispose of the solid waste in unauthorized areas.
Bellmead Police Sgt. Kory Martin said the city is currently assessing the cost of doing a cleanup and extending E. 22nd Street and Hoffman for them to connect.
“It will be a part of the cleanup, but also it would be an easier way to view those areas that are currently covered up by trees and brush,” Sgt. Kory Martin.
The city has until April 14, 2017 to correct the problem.
Mable Warren, who visits her sister often at her house located near 21st Street and Hoffman Street, agrees with the plan the city has in mind.
"Now we are concerned when the water backs up through that way, because the water stands there where you have the tires and we are bothered by mosquitoes,” Warren said.
Warren grew up in the area and said illegal dumping has always been an issue.
"With all the dumping, it will make the land go down, if you want to sell it. If they want to buy, they are not want to come here and clean it up,” Warren said.
Martin said the city was not aware of the waste being on the two easements. He added the city conducted a cleanup in recent years that cost up to $30,000.
"It could've been an area that could've been missed due to the brush and heavy wooded area, but a portion of that area, since that time frame to now, over that period, people could've dumped or added to anything that may have not been there."
According to TCEQ, in 2014, the city received another notice of violation for unauthorized disposal of municipal solid waste in a city easement area adjacent to Kelley’s Auto Parts. The city was able to get the business to agree to remove the solid waste and property it had placed in easement areas.
TCEQ has an administrative order on Kelley’s Auto Parts to address the scrap tires and municipal solid waste on their property. The order has an administrative penalty of $6,750 with $1,350 deferred if Kelley’s complies with the order. Kelley’s paid $5,400 but it still needs to bring its facility into compliance by March 15th, which was an extension date granted by the state agency, according to TCEQ.
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