ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 12, 1996 TAG: 9602130031
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BRISTOL
MEMO: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.
Officials are trying to figure out what to do about a dump containing more than 700,000 junk tires owned by a businessman who claims the tires are assets.
A Washington County supervisor and the county attorney are scheduled to discuss the dump this week with officials from the state Department of Environmental Quality, but it could be years before the first tire is removed from the site.
Bristol businessman Arthur P. Slaughter has told county officials that he has a permit to store the tires on his land, but he has never produced the document. The county does not have any record of a permit issued for tire storage on open land.
Supervisor Jackson Barker Jr., who represents the district in which the tires lie, said the dump remains a major environmental concern.
``I wish we could take a more active stance, but I don't think we can spend the taxpayers' money to correct the mistakes of one man,'' he said. ``The optimal solution is that Mr. Slaughter would be a good citizen and clean the tires up before we have to take court action.''
Slaughter did not return repeated telephone calls last week.
County officials say the huge tire pile is an environmental hazard. - Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 35 linesby CNB