Monday, March 31, 2008

Protest and Home Damage


Good Morning Neighbor:

Please see the pictures below from Saturday's protest across the street from Vulcan Industries.  There are several things to take note  - the new pavement shown in one picture in front of Vulcan is compliments of the Quarry Task Force.  We were protesting Thursday Evening and by Saturday the road was newly paved.  I wish I had a picture of it prior to this because it is a wonder there were not many wrecks in this area - there was virtually no road left  - the tires of cars dropped off the road every time they drove by us.  Secondly, the pictures below are of a home just down the street that has been ravaged by the blasting - Vulcan even came to the house to pick up all the damage that occurred outside the home but has never bothered to help compensate for the indoor damages.  I met the lady who lives at this residence - she is expecting a child and they do not have the money to rebuild the inside -plus they feel even if they did it would only be a matter of time again before the ceiling caved in again due to the blasting.  Their insurance company turned them down because they do not cover earth movement damage.

A person's home should be their sanctuary and for most of us it is the largest investment we will ever make.  There is a moral imperative on Vulcan's part to see to it that they do not damage their surrounding community and there is a moral imperative by the State, County and City to see to it that there are no homes built nearby this industry.  Everyone wants to throw their hands up once again and say, " well the quarry was already there or the land was already sold to developers" but does that really make any of this okay?  Just like none of that meant that PSC's operations were okay because that site was built before the surrounding community was built.  The fact of the matter is that those that we pay to protect us did not do their job and they must wake up and start protecting us now.

Your neighbor,

Connie


Constance Thomas Biemiller, Chair
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force
770-314-6999

As Margaret Mead once said:

Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.



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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Residents want Rock Quarry to Close - SF Neighbor News - Forum | thecommunityvoice.tv

Good Evening Neighbor:

Please see the article published today in the South Fulton Neighbor.  The Quarry Task Force will be holding a protest to stop the blasting that is damaging their homes and health - tomorrow and Saturday.  Please come be a part of the effort!  We must not be complacent - we must take action for the betterment of all!

http://www.thecommunityvoice.tv/forums/topic/39504?page_no=1#118355

Your neighbor,

Connie

Constance Thomas Biemiller, Chair
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force
770-314-6999

As Margaret Mead once said:

Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.








Sunday, March 23, 2008

Pushing the Stone Away


Good Morning Neighbor:

Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddist or Muslim, today has great significance - it is the day that we are all reminded that the Large Stone that covered the Tomb - the one that no one person should be able to move - was moved and can be moved!!!!!  We are a community who continues to prove this in so many ways - we have shut down plant operations that everyone said was not possible, we have begun Senate testimony and we are continuing to bring light to the injustice that our government agencies have been able to carry out for many years.  The victory of the stone being pushed away is telling us we must never give up!!  Things like this Final Health Consultation can make us all want to say, " we the people can never win".  However, our job is to go beyond this thought and remember that the stone has already been moved we just need to help others to see it.  

Everything we continue to do as a community matters - it really, really matters!!  We are making a difference!!!

Have a beautiful day!!

Your neighbor,

Connie

Constance Thomas Biemiller, Chair
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force
Web Site - thecommunityvoice.tv
770-314-6999

As Margaret Mead once said:

Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.







Wednesday, March 19, 2008

PSC Final Health Consultation


Good Morning Neighbor:

Please see the email and Final Health Consultation below.  It should have just been called the Final Non Report.  Over 200 public comments were submitted and not one objection from the community made a difference in the final report.  We must by no means back down - we must stand on the facts - we all know we were sick - we all know we were poisoned - we all know the truth and  we are not a community of liars.    Remember their way around all of this is to call this a Consultation "we just talked to a few people, collected some written information and this is what we gathered".  Remember not one person in our community has ever been physically examined by a physician from the ATSDR.  This whole study was a huge waste of tax payers dollars because an in-depth study was never conducted which would have truly benefited our community and the State of Georgia.  

Once again, I ask who do these agencies serve?

Your neighbor,

Connie

Constance Thomas Biemiller, Chair
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force
Web Site - thecommunityvoice.tv
770-314-6999

As Margaret Mead once said:

Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.



From: "Franklin Sanchez" <fjsanchez@dhr.state.ga.us>
Date: March 18, 2008 9:20:47 AM EDT
To: "Biemiller, Constance Thomas" <dcbiemlr@bellsouth.net>
Subject: PSC Final Health Consultation

Connie,
 
The final version of the health consultation with public comments addressed on the PSC methyl mercaptan release site in Fairburn has been published.  Attached is the final version for your records.  Please share with Task Force members.
 
Regards,
Frank

Monday, March 10, 2008

Town Hall Meetings


Good Morning Neighbor:

I attended Congressman Scott's Town Hall Meeting on Saturday and they were gracious enough to let me  go beyond my two minutes to give the speech below.
Please take some time and read it - after learning so much over the past two years - the need for Buffer Zone Legislation is where we are heading.  I do not have to tell you that Georgia has none.  I am also including a new posting by the AJC today on pharmaceuticals found in drinking water all across this country.  Once again industry told them, there were no harmful levels found even though municipalities did not even have testing for pharmaceuticals in drinking water.  It wasn't until the Associated Press hired independent researchers that all of this was found.  This article gives a summary of the published results.  If you remember, we have been told the same thing that our drinking water is safe yet there is no testing for Ethoprop in our drinking water so how could anyone have ever told us we were safe!!

http://www.thecommunityvoice.tv/forums/topic/37711?page_no=1#118115


Last, but not least, I want to remind everyone of the Quarry Town Hall meeting this Wednesday at 7pm.  It will be held at the Burdette Gym off of Burdette road off of Old National.  Remember, what is happening to our Quarry community touches us all!!!!

Your neighbor,

Connie

Constance Thomas Biemiller, Chair
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force
Web Site - communitytaskforce.tv
770-314-6999

As Margaret Mead once said:

Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.








Monday, March 03, 2008

221 Signatures and Counting


Good Morning Neighbor:

The first day out petitioning to Stop the Blasting with the Quarry Task Force was a great success.  Once the word got out that there was a petition to be signed,  people started driving over to participate.  The stories told were horrendous - water pipes dislodged, gas pipes dislodged, decks and driveways separating from the house, garage floors caving in and the list goes on.  There were some who knew something was going wrong with their home but did not know it was the blasting - the blasting occurs while they are at work.

As one gentleman put it on Saturday, "there is a lot of love in the air".  And, it was so true, people coming together to make a difference from all over South Fulton and Fayette.  Ester Cosby from Oakley Township holding posters on the street for the cause - Dot Goodwin from Fayette coming to sign the petition - Michael Venable from the Old National Association coming to collect forms to get the word out and many, many others.  

The Quarry Task Force will be holding a Town Hall meeting on March 12 at 7pm at the Burdette Gym on Burdette Rd.  Government officials will be invited and the community will begin to formulate plans to move forward to protect their homes and health.  All are invited to show solidarity in this effort.  

Also, on other fronts - Oakley Township has been told by Fulton County that DR Horton will have the Detention Ponds repaired within the next 30 days!!

                                            -Peachtree City Council received the SFF Task Force Letter asking them not to use the sewage water - Councilmen Haddix and Sturbaum
                                              responded but it still appears that they are fixed on spreading the sewage effluent onto the recreation fields.  See the Editorial Ben Nelms
                                              wrote regarding this issue -

                                              http://www.thecommunityvoice.tv/forums/topic/36892?page_no=1#116326

And, last but not least, U.S. Congressman David Scott will be holding a Town Hall Meeting this Saturday - March 8th at City Hall in Union City at 2pm.  This will be a time to come and give public comment with regard to problems in our community or successes such as PSC.  Take these moments when you can get them and let your voice be heard!!

Your neighbor,

Connie


Constance Thomas Biemiller, Chair
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force
Web Site - communitytaskforce.tv
770-314-6999

As Margaret Mead once said:

Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.