Funky Hood

Funky Hood

When The DISH complained about the stench in its South DeKalb County, Georgia community in 1998, the absence of official concern fuelled suspicion that environmental racism played a critical role in the lack of concern for the health and well-being of area citizens. DISH research efforts identified Seminole Landfill, owned and operated by DeKalb County, as one source of pollution.

During his bid to unseat DeKalb Commissioner Porter Sanford (Dist. 7), now-deceased Lou Walker teamed with area residents to demand the closing of the landfill, an end to the building of substandard housing around the site and a stop to the purchase of land around Ward Lake for a park and recreational facility. Area residents contend the proposed recreation area would be on land contaminated by leachate from the unlined landfill. While the county has closed the unlined section of the landfill (Phase 1), a new lined section keeps the landfill in operation. Housing subdivisions continue to be built at a rapid pace near what should be a heavy industrial site.

In the case of the proposed land purchase around Ward Lake for a park and recreational facility, concerned community activists made DeKalb Commissioners Bill Brown and Porter Sanford rethink the proposed purchase. Both were defeated in their bids for reelection.

In May 1999, U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D) asked EPA to look into Seminole Landfill groundwater contamination. Rep. McKinney's request centers on the prospect that such contamination places South River, and therefore all of us, at risk. For a recap of Funky Hood articles click on the issues below to order up DISHes on environmental racism. (Volume 2 Issue 21)