News Release:

Southampton County Storm-Debris Disposal
Frequently Asked Questions

Date: September 30, 2003

CONTACT: Michael Johnson, County Administrator
(757) 653-3015

1. Who is responsible for storm-related debris removal?
Southampton County has issued a task order to Crowder-Gulf, an Alabama-based debris disposal contractor, to remove and lawfully dispose of disaster-related debris from public right-of-ways and public property.

2. How was Crowder-Gulf chosen?
The services of Crowder-Gulf were competitively procured, in accordance with provisions of the Virginia Public Procurement Act, by the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) on behalf of its eight member jurisdictions, in advance of the storm.

3. What am I supposed to do with my storm-related debris?
Vegetative storm debris (trees, limbs, stumps, branches, leaves, pine-straw, etc.) may be handled in either of two ways-first, residents may simply place or pile the storm debris in front of their property where it may reached from the public right-of-way. Leaves and pine straw should be bagged in clear bags and placed alongside the pile. Crowder-Gulf will be dispatching crews along each and every public highway in the county over the next few weeks to retrieve these materials.

Second, residents may carry their vegetative storm debris to any one of the county's 14 solid waste transfer stations and pile it in areas designated for storm debris. Please do not place any vegetative storm debris in the red boxes-these are reserved for normal household refuse.

Solid Waste Transfer Sites: Run curser over location for pop-up of address.

4. Can I dispose of vegetative debris at the SPSA-operated transfer stations in Boykins, Ivor, and on Rt. 671 near Franklin?
No. If you do not wish to have the debris picked up from the right-of-way in front of your property, it should be taken to one of the 14 sites listed above and placed in the designated area.

5. Will Crowder-Gulf be picking up everywhere?
Everywhere - towns, villages, and countryside.

6. By when must I have all the debris piled next to the right-of-way for pick-up?
All storm-related debris should be placed next to the right-of-way for pick-up or delivered to any of the 14 transfer sites no later than November 1, 2003.

7. When will Crowder-Gulf pick-up on my road?
Crowder-Gulf already has several crews working across the county. They will be making at least two passes on each road, but at this point, we cannot provide a road-by-road schedule. All debris placed by the right-of-way before November 1 should be removed by Crowder-Gulf crews before November 20, 2003.

8. What's Crowder-Gulf doing with the vegetative debris?
Crowder-Gulf will be leasing private property in the county where it will operate a couple of temporary debris management sites - all vegetative debris will be burned there in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

9. What if my debris is not vegetative, but is associated with a damaged building?
Any construction or demolition debris, furniture, furnishings, or appliances that were damaged or destroyed by the storm should be separated from the vegetative debris and placed in front of your property for pick up. Debris of this nature will be disposed of in authorized and permitted landfills.

10. Will FEMA remove trees or stumps from my property?
No. Debris removal from private property is the responsibility of the individual property owner, aided by insurance settlements and assistance from volunteer agencies. FEMA assistance is not available to reimburse private property owners for the cost of removing trees or stumps from their property.

11. May I contract directly with Crowder-Gulf for clean-up of my property?
No. Crowder-Gulf is not authorized to perform any work on private property and is contractually barred from seeking or accepting requests from private property owners to perform debris clearing or removal activities on their property.

12. Who should I contract with for tree or stump removal services?
Property owners may contract with any licensed contractor for these services. Please watch out for dishonest contractors who may try to take advantage of you. Be especially alert for door-to-door solicitors who ask for large cash deposits or for entire payments in advance. You may find that the work is never performed or the down payment is never returned. Before you sign a contract or make down payments, make sure you receive a written estimate from the contractor. Beware of offers that seem too good to refuse. Ask for references and check with your friends, neighbors and relatives before deciding which contractor to choose.

13. What's all this costing the county?
Disaster-related debris disposal is an eligible expense under FEMA's Public Assistance program. Accordingly, 75% of the expense will be covered by the federal government, 20% by the state, and 5% by Southampton County.

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