METH LAB CLEANUP ORDINANCE APPROVED

Stearns County will join St. Cloud in taking extra steps to clean up
properties used in making methamphetamine and other illegal drugs.

County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved rules and
regulations for treating homes, apartments and other living quarters
that have been contaminated by harmful chemicals during drug
manufacturing.

The cleanup ordinance also is designed to ensure that pregnant women,
children, vulnerable adults and others who may have lived near the
contamination get medical attention.

Commissioners supported the measure despite concerns about requiring
property owners to pay the cleanup costs, even if they are not
responsible for the contamination.

"I'd like to make sure there's an appeal process for property owners
if they're not involved," County Commissioner Leigh Lenzmeier said.

Investigators have said meth is the area's No. 1 drug
problem.

The ordinance comes from a countywide task force created last year and
is based on one in Olmsted County, which was the first in the state.
St. Cloud has a similar ordinance.

It goes beyond what county and emergency services personnel already do
to eliminate large quantities of chemicals when they discover a lab.
If trace amounts remain, the property is declared unfit for habitation
until it is cleaned up.

Property owners will now be required to do a cleanup after a lab is
found to meet state health department standards. Within 10 days, the
owner would have to contract with an environmental hazard testing and
cleaning firm to assess, clean up and test the property.

They also would have to work with the county to complete cleanup.
Owners can ask for an extension if they have a good reason.

The county has only two choices when it comes to cleanups -- charge
the owners or make all residents foot the bill in their property taxes
- -- said Don Adams, county environmental services director.

"It's not fair to assess costs across the board that are particular to
one property," he said.

Property owners can recover their costs from tenants in court and
collect insurance in many cases, Adams said.

They also can appeal to lengthen the repayment period or to have their
costs waived, County Commissioner Larry Haws said.