A Marietta-based company that could soon receive a bid for the demolition of the old Habersham County courthouse was previously investigated by the EPA for alleged mishandling of asbestos-ridden homes on Carter Alley in Lula.
Asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral that can cause lung cancer and other respiratory diseases when inhaled, is believed to exist throughout the former courthouse building.
Demolition and remediation company Southern Environmental Services offered a bid of between $184,000-190,000 to bring down the former courthouse in downtown Clarkesville. That offer, which still needs to be approved or denied by commissioners, is around $300,000 lower than previous estimates by county officials in years past.
President of Southern Environmental Services Tom Wasson could not be reached for comment.
Background
Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division opened an investigation into complaints against Southern Environmental Services in 2023 after accusations the company failed to adhere to proper protocol and EPA regulation throughout the city-approved demolition process of four homes on Carter Alley.
In April of 2023, complaints from residents who live near Carter Alley prompted the city of Lula to issue an initial stop work order. Work on the homes continued a few days later, though Georgia EPD would investigate the allegations in the coming months.
While the EPD vindicated Southern Environmental, the investigation continued under the EPA. EPA hasn’t released the findings of its investigation – which Now Habersham requested under the Freedom of Information Act submitted last week.
Pamela Storm, an environmental engineer with EPA, told Now Habersham in December that the investigation determined the company committed only one violation. With only poor-quality video footage taken by witnesses at the scene, Storm had said it was difficult to determine whether other violations actually occurred.
“We found a violation of a late notification (before work began), but we didn’t take any enforcement action,” Storm said.
Still, this single alleged transgression deviates from statements made by multiple eyewitnesses – residents of Lula who say they saw workers from the company in clear violation of federal and state law.
Witnesses
Even now, nearly two years later, Dave Wilson, the owner of Lula Mercantile Vintage Shop, maintains that he witnessed Southern Environmental’s workers allegedly mishandling asbestos without proper protective apparatus. Workers allegedly “broke” asbestos tiles off the structures and threw them in the back of trucks and trailers to be hauled away, according to Wilson.
Wilson also said a work order provided to him by a supervisor that day stated the siding was 15% friable asbestos. By law, to prevent the potential spread of particles in the air, material containing asbestos should be saturated with water before it’s handled.
“What I saw was (workers) removing friable asbestos shingles from the outside of the building with no kind of tenting and no water being sprayed on it and nobody wearing proper PPE,” Wilson said. “…I was concerned. It was a dry, breezy day. You could see asbestos in the dust. There were little girls playing in the street in the middle of the dust, and the wind was blowing right over them.”
Another witness, Lula resident Joseph Johnson, said he felt certain he saw more than one alleged violation that day.
(Wilson) and I both witnessed the company scraping asbestos tile off the side of the house with no protection, no personal protective equipment, no remediation equipment,” Johnson said. “They weren’t wetting it down at all.”
Johnson said he was “surprised” and “concerned” Southern Environmental might be the company that could finally tear down the old courthouse, if approved by commissioners.
“As citizens, obviously, (we) want the best quality work being done in our communities,” he said.
Lula Councilwoman Juliette Roberts, who had not been elected at the time of the alleged incident, had a specific message for Habersham County’s elected officials.
“My gut reaction is that this doesn’t sound like a good idea, based on what we witnessed happen in Lula and saw,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. To know that happened, and to know that it could happen again, that scares me.”
Local officials react
Habersham County Commission Chairman Ty Akins said that while the allegations are “concerning,” he’s confident the company would abide by regulatory requirements stipulated by the county if demolition were approved.
“If (Southern Environmental) were the one providing that service, that would be right in downtown Clarkesville,” Akins said. “We would expect them to follow any and all EPD and EPA guidelines. It would be hard to get away with, disguise it or get away with it – with what a high-profile building this is…(the county) would have people to go by and inspect the demolition. There’s a lot of concerns about safety they would have to follow.”
If that vote proceeds toward approval, Akins said commissioners could officially mandate the company to follow protocol in accordance with EPD regulation.
Clarkesville City Manager Keith Dickerson said the city also would see that regulations at the state and federal levels are followed.
“The county has an environmental study that was done…so I would expect them to follow the rules, and I guess there should be an inspector over there to make sure they do,” Dickerson said. “That’s how you have to handle it, especially if they have a history of it.”
Habersham County Commission Vice Chair Bruce Harkness said he believes the company should be given the benefit of the doubt without a presumption of guilt.
“I’ve been told this company is going to take all the safety precautions to ensure everyone is properly protected (if) they demolish the courthouse,” Harkness said. “I hope and pray that maybe that (in Lula) taught them a lesson, if that is true. I’m sure we’re going to require a bond, and I guarantee you – if they don’t perform correctly – we will be making a claim on their bond.”
