Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 20, 1990                   TAG: 9005180286
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Jack Chamberlain
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CREEK NO ONE'S TABLE, EVERYONE'S PROBLEM

I hate it when that happens.

I don't care whose table it is. That's their problem. They shouldn't make it my problem. I want my coffee.

So I can imagine the frustration of the Pulaski County folks who want somebody to do something about that icky red stuff in Peak Creek and Claytor Lake.

Officialdom seems to be in a tizzy trying to figure out whose table it is. But these Pulaski folks don't care about that. They just want somebody to do something - or at least come up with some straight answers and cut the bull.

Pollution of Peak Creek is everybody's problem. This is not just an idyllic brook in the woods leading to nowhere. This is a gutter in the middle of town flowing into Claytor Lake which flows into the New River, a major part of Montgomery County's water supply.

So, whose table is it, anyway?

Everybody in officialdom is trying to figure out what's wrong, how bad it is and who's legally responsible.

Hey, that's comforting, right? We all know how speedy and effective a government agency can be.

Well, we've got four levels of government and five agencies in on this one: the county and regional health departments, the state Water Control Board and Department of Waste Management, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

I don't know about you, but I feel better already.

But not Clarke Cunningham III, a real estate developer who lives near Claytor Lake.

Cunningham's tired of waiting, tired of beating his head against walls of bureaucracy trying to find answers, trying to get action.

He's not alone. He invited a few folks to a meeting a couple of weeks ago and nearly 200 showed up. That was too many for the Newbern Community Center, so some had their say through the open windows.

I love it when that happens.

The state Water Control Board says the red stuff is heavy metals from the old Allied Chemical Plant. The plant, long closed, has been owned by Downtown East Inc. for the past decade.

Downtown East blamed rain runoff from the Pulaski Mall, and the battle raged in court for a decade. Downtown East won a few months ago and the mall owners promised to stop the runoff, but so far no one seems to have done anything.

As far as the state Water Control Board is concerned, Downtown East - the owners of the offending property - is still responsible for cleaning up the mess.

Oh, waitperson! Coffee, please - and hold the icky red stuff!

The Water Control Board has a record of Peak Creek pollution complaints dating back 10 years, but folks have really become vocal during the last few months when the red stuff showed up.

So, while everybody is pointing a finger at someone, and officialdom is scratching its head, the Red Tide keeps fouling up Peak Creek, which flows into Claytor Lake, which flows into the New River.

Of course, we're talking about money here - big bucks to stop the heavy metal flow and clean up the creek and lake.

And, of course, the responsible party must be made to pay, right? That's what's taking so long. Deciding who's responsible, who foots the bill.

So, there's this guy bleeding on the street. Doctors, nurses and paramedics are standing around in a tizzy, scratching their heads. Gee, they say, look at all that blood. Wonder how long he'll last while we figure out who's responsible?

Nonsense.

Peak Creek and Claytor Lake could die before blame and responsibility are determined and remedies enforced. The government should save them now, then figure out who's responsible and send them the bill.