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Neighbors, magistrates split over Allen Springs air‑curtain burner; court orders state air‑quality testing
Summary
Residents and magistrates clashed over smoke and odors from an air‑curtain burner at the Allen Springs convenience center. The Fiscal Court voted to invite state air‑quality and environmental agencies to a controlled burn and to measure emissions, while discussion continued about relocation, neighborhood impacts and program operations.
A lengthy debate on Oct. 28 focused on the county’s air‑curtain burner (installed at the Allen Springs convenience center). Neighbors and some magistrates said the burner emitted ongoing smoke and odors that affected nearby residents; other magistrates and staff defended the equipment’s intent — to reduce open‑air burning — and said initial tests were visual rather than instrumented.
Recycling director Angie Muncy and magistrates discussed operational problems caused by wet, contaminated loads and the need to locate a less populated site for device operation. Several magistrates urged measured, scientific testing; one magistrate said the device could not be sited in a populated area if testing showed unacceptable emissions. The court moved, passed and recorded a motion directing the judge to arrange a site visit during a controlled burn with appropriate state agencies (including air quality staff) to gather scientific pollutant data. The vote recorded a mix of ayes and nays. The court also discussed pausing brush intake at the site and pursuing alternate locations and mitigation steps while awaiting test results.
