Deep South Power, LLC ("Site") is a former alternative power steam cogenerating plant that used to provide steam to the Thomaston Mills plants neighboring to the north of the property. The plant formerly operated using coal fuel for steam generation and the facility was later purchased by the current property owner (RP) who proposed to retrofit the facility to accept an alternate (or supplemental) fuel source. Used/shreded tires were the proposed fuel source. According to local authorities, the facility was never fully operational using the alternative fuel system for steam generation and the plant was idle over the past 5-years. The abandoned Site drew the attention of the neighboring community and local law enforcement through reported copper thefts and vagrant trespassing. In January 2008 complaints about the property’s appearance and alleged County Code violations drew the focus of local law enforcement followed by a referral to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) by February 2008. In March 2008, GAEPD issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) documenting the Site as an “abandoned facility” containing drums and bulk containers of corrosive chemicals, several drums labeled “Hazardous Waste”, and several stockpiles of tires (see “Documents”).
In March 2009, GAEPD referred the Site to EPA for a Removal Site Evaluation (RSE) to address the abandoned drums of chemicals and any additional site contamination or issues that may not have been identified by GAEPD through their previous site investigations.
