Caledonia Argus

Drug lab clean-up law progressing

Posted: 3/23/04

By David Heiller
Argus News Editor

A rough draft of a new county ordinance for cleaning up clandestine drug lab sites was approved by a committee of Houston County employees on March 17.

The draft of the ordinance now must be approved by Houston County commissioners. A public hearing will also take place where citizens can give their input.

The committee, headed by public health director Linda Grupa, has met several times to come up with a formal plan to deal with cleaning up drug labs. It is aimed at sites where methamphetamine is manufactured. That process involves material that is highly toxic and linked to causing cancer.

The ordinance states that ìthe property owner shall be responsible for all costs, including those of the county, incurred to abate the public health nuisance contractorís fees and public costs for services that were performed in association with a clandestine drug lab site or chemical dump site clean-up.î

It also authorizes the county to assess the property owner for those costs at the rate of $1,000 per year or more up to 10 years.

The draft states that when the estimated cost of testing, cleanup, and remediation exceeds 75 percent of the market value of the structure and land, the county can dispose of the property rather than clean it up.

Fourth district commissioner Dave Corcoran asked several times that that percentage be lowered to 50 percent. He felt this would ease the burden on people who have lower-valued affected property like trailer homes.

County assessor Tom Dybing said it could be done on a case-by-case basis. Dybing also said he was not sure how the county would value property if a drug lab were found on it.

Another change suggested at last weekís hour-long meeting was that the word ìboathouseî be added to the list of structures to which the law would apply.

Sheriff Mike Lee said that home-made drug laboratories are becoming more prevalent, because making things like methamphetamines is easy and quick. Cleaning them up is a huge undertaking, he said. ìTheyíve literally been destroying apartment houses when they clean it up.î

The new law will allow the county to qualify for public funding, Lee said.

Jeff Adamson, a member of the Eitzen city council, said the role of cities like his is limited. ìWhat can we do?î he asked, then answered, Not much, really.î

Cities and townships in the county can pass a resolution saying they will comply with the countyís ordinance, or they can pass a more restrictive law.

Adamson asked who determines what needs to be done when a drug lab is found. Lee explained that workers come from the Southeast Minnesota Drug Task Force to secure the site and remove the dangerous material. A cleaning company then cleans the site, and the owner of the property makes sure it is safe to live in.

ìLandlords need to check on their property to see whatís going on,î Lee said.

Several people expressed concerns about where toxic chemicals used in meth production, such as hydrochloric acid and anhydrous ammonia, were being dumped, and what health risks that this poses.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency would get involved in cleaning up dump sites like that, Lee said.

Corcoran said a disaster plan might be necessary to help with clean-up procedures for landowners.

Adamson asked if money could be obtained from the offender?

ìHow you going to get blood from a turnip?î Lee said.

ìHeíll have to set up a lab in another spot to pay for it,î Corcoran said.

The public always seems to pick up the tab for worthless, law-breaking citizens, Adamson said.

ìPlus we pay for the public defender to defend them,î third district commissioner Ann Thompson said.

Top of Page