How Fort Wayne People
Stopped Waste Management
As BAD BOYS!
On June 13, 1997 the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (Indiana's EPA) ruled that WMX could not expand its dump because it was a "bad boy." Amost all states have "good character" aws that prohibit companies from doing business in their state when the company has committed felonies, broken environmental laws, and other laws. But, to our knowledge, the Fort Wayne citizens are the first organization to actually get such laws implemented in the enviromental pollution area. They did it and we all need to know what they did, because such action is one option to stop WMX from doing business in your state and in your neighborhood. Certainly, one needs to realize that a Democratic or moderate Republican administration may be a little more open to such unexpected government action. But past that how do you approach the "bad boy" as an action your group can take?
First, get a copy of your state law from your State Representative or Senator. They can send it to you. Then read it carefully.
Click this page to see what key parts Indiana's law say and how Fort Wayne folks very specifically addressed their state environmental director.
Look for who your potential allies are
Fort Wayne people got good support from two state representative. They contacted the Environment Management Commissioner.
Fort Wayne Representative Gloria Goeglein wrote that she had contacted the commissioner and wrote the citizen group that she "wanted to assure you that the 'good character' provisions will be applied." After mentioning that the provisions are law and have withstood court challenge by Waste Management, "I am confident that (Commissioner) Ms Prosser will act accordingly."
Nearby New Haven Represemtative Phyllis Pond also supported implementation of the good character law. Pond sits on the Ways and Means Committee. When the commissioner defended her budget, Pond "espressed to her at that time the importance of them enforcing the 'Good Character Law.'" Pond wrote to Commissioner Prosser urging implementing the law. She wrote, "I realize that Waste Management has a lot of power on theri side. However, I believe, if we continue to monitor and us the laws to protect the people of Indiana, we can keep them from expanding their operation. As long as we continue to allow the hazardous waste disposal sites to expand, there's no incentive for businesses to recycle, re-use, and cut down on the amount of hazardous waste they produce. ...Most of the people in Indian do not realize the travesty this hazardous landfill poses. It was presented to the community as a sanitary landfill, and the community was completely unaware of the monster that it was going to become when it became a hazardous waste landfill. " Pond volunteered to help the commissioner and stated that she "will be looking forward to working with you and discouraging any type of expansion of the landfill."