Affordable Tree Service Named as Culprit in Fire

 

Lee Roy Cosbie is the owner of the land on which the Underwood Mountain fire has burned since June or July (officially reported to the ADEM on 7/20). Cosbie is also the owner of Affordable Tree Service.

When we published yesterday, we had the name of the tree service, but only via word of mouth. Now we've been sent proof of wrongdoing and legal action by the ADEM. This is not Cosbie's first offense; he was also cited in 2016:

According to the ADEM, Cosbie's company has run afoul of the law by burning prohibited material, not monitoring the fire, and disregarding legal notices. Below is the official notice of his fine, issued just yesterday:

Colbert County

Pursuant to the provisions of the Alabama Environmental Management Act, Ala. Code §§22-22A-1 to 22-22A-16 (2006 Rplc. Vol.), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management is proposing to issue an Administrative Order to Lee Roy Cosbie, owner of real property located in Tuscumbia, Colbert County, Alabama.

The violations listed in the Order consist of:  Lee Roy Cosbie operated in a manner that violated the state regulations in relation to open burning.

The Department is proposing a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000.00.  The order, if issued, would require Lee Roy Cosbie to comply with all applicable requirements of ADEM Administrative Code div. 335-3 immediately upon the effective date of this Order and continuing each and every day thereafter.

Interested persons may submit written comments, including request for a hearing, within 30 days of the publication date of this notice, to:

Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Attention: Ronald W. Gore
Chief of the Air Division
P.O. Box 301463
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1463

The comment period shall end at the close of business 30 days from the publication date of this notice.  A copy of the proposed order is available on the ADEM web page at http://www.alabama.gov/compInfo/adminOrders.cnt or may be obtained by written request to the above address.  A nominal fee for copying may be charged.

This notice is hereby given this 14th day of October, 2022, by authorization of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

While this is good, air quality is not miraculously improved by such legal edict. Is there a civil suit in the works? We will have more on that as it becomes available.

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