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Pasco community concerned by temporary debris site being close to their homes

Neighbors say the debris pile has brought insects, rats, dust and potentially mold.

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — They have been popping up all across Tampa Bay — temporary garbage dumps called debris management sites. 

They are places where all that hurricane debris can be held until it's moved to local landfills. 

But in Pasco County, neighbors say they have health concerns after county officials put one of those transfer sites just feet from their backyards. 

The massive debris pile is located behind the Magnolia Valley neighborhood in New Port Richey, where residents say they have health concerns from insects, rats, dust and potentially mold flying around in the air. 

County officials say these temporary transfer sites are necessary to get debris cleaned up quickly, but this one, neighbors say, is just too close for comfort.

“All the debris out here,” said Pat Askins, standing on her back patio. 

The view Askins and her neighbors now have from their backyards is a temporary garbage dump that they worry may be making them sick. 

“I'm not doing very good,” Askins said. “And my breathing is really bad here.”

Pasco County has five so-called debris management sites, which they say are necessary to get debris cleaned up faster. 

The spots were chosen because they're county property with hard surfaces less likely to allow any run-off to contaminate the groundwater.

“It's constantly monitored by DEP. Army Corps of Engineers has come out and done inspections. OSHA has been out here and done inspections,” Pasco County Emergency Management Director Andrew Fossa said. “We are all in compliance with all the rules and regulations. But unfortunately, it does end up in somebody's backyard sometimes.”

“It's not a good place for it to be,” neighbor Tracy Benedict said. “It's within 80 feet of people's headboards where they sleep at night.”

Benedict and other neighbors say they find little comfort in the county’s explanation. The irony, Benedict said, is that Magnolia Valley was fortunate enough to escape flooding from the hurricanes. 

“So, we were blessed not to have any damage or debris anywhere,” she said. “And now everybody that has been affected is in our backyard.”

“I'm sure nobody wants to look at trash behind their house. But I get it,” neighbor James Stubbe said. “It is a necessity. It's something you have to do. We don't own the property, the county does.”

In between hurricanes Helene and Milton, Pasco County had cleared most of the debris. Now it's back. And likely will be, they say, for 3 to 4 months.  Trucks are dumping non-hazardous materials collected from local neighborhoods, including vegetation and household debris like mattresses, drywall and furniture. 

Fossa says hazardous materials should not have been picked up, but if they make it to the site they will be separated and taken to the landfill.

Pasco County says it has been coordinating with mosquito control, and they have been spraying regularly at the site. They've also laid down traps for rodents but, so far, Fossa says they'd only spotted only one rat.

“It's temporary,” Fossa explained. “As they are bringing the debris in there, it's also getting removed to the permanent site.”

“I want them to take it out of there. That's the best option there is,” neighbor Lazaro Sanchez said. “Because, if not, you never know.”

“I want them to get rid of it. You know?” Askins added. “I don't mind the sandbags and all this stuff, but the debris out there, it's bad.”

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