As trucks, trains and barges begin to penetrate Virginia, WMI and other waste management firms have increased political contributions to Virginia state legislators campaign funds. During the 1996-97 election cycle, the trash industry contributed over $250,000 to political leaders. Led by Waste Management, $33,000 were sunk into 93 legislators funds during the last six months of 1998, more than gambling interests gave just before their riverboat gambling fights. At the same time Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, Republican, is backing bills that would tighten landfill regulations, limit dumping and ban garbage barges.
At the same time WMI praises its community host payments (legalized bribery) to Charles City County. What is happening in this poor sparsely populated county raises serious questions as to who finances local government. The payments by WMI amounted to $3.7 million in 1998, almost one-fourth of the county's $16 million annual budget. The county claims to have been able to open a $22 million school complex, lower taxes, and renovate county offices. WMI gained a huge landfill, the right to import waste, and the responsibility to collect all county trash free of charge. Such deals or bribery offers are hard for local government officials to refuse. Yet, it is at this point of stopping the approval of new landfills that citizens have their best chance to stop the waste flood. After the landfill is approved WMI and other waste companies have free reign on importing waste, filling the highways with trucks, and generally tearing up the neighborhood.
WMI can also harm the James River with leaks from barges. Lawsuits stopping WMI have so far failed. WMI has contracted with 11th generation Shirley Plantation owner to establish a barge dock from which WMI trucks New York City waste twelve miles to its Charles City landfill. It is at this landfill that state inspectors caught WMI unloading medical waste for which WMI paid a fine of $125,000, an easily budgeted amount for this huge corporation.
Two other major WMI landfills in Virginia are the Amelia and the King George. When the Amelia landfill was approved by the county supervisors in 1991 four of the five were voted out of office. Former board Chairman F. S. Davis Jr. says he still hears fome derogatory remarks from his decision. Since Amelia opened this this county of 10,000 has received $6.3 million from WMI in its bribery payments. They have build a new elementary school, library and fire station with the funds. King George County receives $5 for every ton dumped. WMI met its 312,000 ton quarterly limit during the last three months of 1998, resulting in a payment of over $1.5 million to the county. WMI recently was challenged for allowing more than the 4,800 ton daily limit. WMI admitted guilt saying they failed to properly coordinate their train and truck arrivals. It is corrected they say.
Despite the huge money payments to these counties polls show that the public overwhelmingly opposes the out-of-state trash that flows into these landfills. Legislation to limit dumping at landfills to 2,000 tons a day is being promoted by Governor Gilmore. It has no opposition from the local counties with landfills since they would just receive their payments spread over a longer period. Amelia supervisor's Chairman Harvie seemed little concerned. "We'll be OK,"Harvie said and so reported the Richmond Times -Dispatch (1/31/99)
dated: November 1, 1999
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