Hazardous Substance Research Centers/South & Southwest

Summary of TOSC assistance

TAB has worked with Coffee County, Tennessee, since early February, 2007. Coffee County is currently involved with the Lakewood Park private development outside of Manchester and has become a reluctant landowner as property in Lakewood Park has reverted to the County as owners fail to pay taxes.

The development consists of both residential lots and small camping lots. Many of the camping lots have become sites for squatters who have established permanent structures, which violates local covenants. Crime and drug use has increased within the development, and many of these squatters have drilled water wells and are pumping sewage and septic system waste directly into the lake in the development.

The County is in need of help with the environmental and health implications of these practices, as well as legal assistance (beyond TAB's scope of assistance services) into removing the current homeowner's association and Board of Trustees in order to resolve the problem.

This will be a long-term effort, extending beyond the current TAB funding period, so TAB's assistance most likely will end before much is resolved. TAB will seek special assistance from EPA to assist the County.