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Columbia County finishes final pass of hurricane debris; residents now responsible for remaining piles
Summary
County Manager Scott Johnson said Columbia County completed its final, FEMA-eligible pass of debris removal after the storm, marking the 180-day cutoff for FEMA reimbursement. State officials have pledged to cover the county—s 25% cost share, and residents were told they must remove any debris placed in the right of way going forward.
Columbia County Manager Scott Johnson said the county completed its final pass of debris removal following the recent storm, and that residents who still have debris must now arrange for its removal themselves.
Johnson told listeners the county reached the 180-day mark for debris pickup as of yesterday, a milestone tied to FEMA reimbursement rules. "We have completed the final pass of debris here in Columbia County," he said.
The county manager said FEMA covers 75% of eligible debris-removal costs and that the local share is 25 percent. Johnson said officials in the Georgia governor's office and the state House speaker have committed to pick up Columbia County—s 25% cost share. He estimated that the county—s remaining share could have been "somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 or $40 million," an unbudgeted expense for local taxpayers.
Johnson said county crews and their contractor, monitored by Debris Tech, finished the county—s FEMA-eligible debris program "as of yesterday." He said the county had removed "almost 4,000,000 cubic yards" of debris during the response.
Going forward, Johnson said residents who still have debris should either hire private companies that remove storm debris or haul it themselves to the county—s collection site on Columbia Road, which is still accepting hurricane debris. "If you now have your debris in the right of way, we're gonna ask you to remove that," he said. He added that the county will not put debris back on private property but will notify residents if long-term piles need to be removed and that the county will not resume pickups.
Johnson cautioned residents considering burning debris to obtain a burn permit and to observe safety rules because of dry conditions and high winds. He also warned that a county burn ban will take effect beginning May 1.
He said the county continues some related work: hauling mulch and chips, addressing streams and county properties, and finishing tasks needed for FEMA reimbursement, with GIS and finance staff supporting mapping and claims. Residents with questions were told to call 311 or the county manager's office.
"We—ll continue to monitor this," Johnson said, thanking county employees and commissioners for their roles in the cleanup.
Ending: The county manager framed the update as the final debris pickup video in the series, asking residents to pass the information to neighbors and to contact county offices with questions.
