‘Long time coming;’ Communities breathing a little easier after State orders closure of biodigester

FAIRBORN — People in parts of Greene County are breathing a little easier Wednesday night.

After a lawsuit filed by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, a company running a biodigester facility close to Fairborn will have to shut down.

The smell from that facility wafts throughout Bath Township into neighboring Fairborn.

The two communities are also suing the company running the facility — but it’s a different lawsuit that may have just solved their problem.

There was something in the air at Wednesday night’s regular Bath Township trustee meeting.

>> RELATED: Local foul-smelling biodigester to shut down, Ohio Attorney General says

“I’m sure you all know what’s happened today, couldn’t be a happier day for the township or the city of Fairborn.” Kassie Lester, Bath Township trustee said during the meeting.

Relief, because something else won’t linger in the air much longer.

“This has been a long time coming. I’ve worked on this since 2015. So this is a happy day,” Lester said

Renergy rents space for their facility on a family farm about three miles from downtown Fairborn.

The biodigester breaks down waste and produces fertilizer as well as methane to sell for electricity production.

“A sour smell ... it’s not good,” Dennis Cain of Bath Township said.

People who live in Bath Township and Fairborn have said they can smell it from miles away.

“You can walk outside and just smell a burning, ammonia, waste smell,” Jennifer Burns of Fairborn said.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fairborn, Bath Twp. serve notice of intent to sue over alleged violations at local biodigester

The state sued Renergy.

Wednesday, Attorney General Dave Yost said the site has caused “environmental problems” and has long been a smelly nuisance.

Both sides agreed to end the lawsuit.

The deal calls for the site to wind down and close permanently by Jan. 31, 2024.

News Center 7′s John Bedell reached out to a company representative for Renergy who said their official comment was “no comment.”

News Center 7 also reached out to the city of Fairborn.

The city manager said exactly how this agreement impacts the city and the township’s joint and ongoing federal lawsuit against Renergy is “still to be determined.”

“But finally, there’s a roadmap and a plan to eliminate the odor that our residents smell more often than not,” Rob Anderson, Fairborn City Manager said.

In Greene County, public officials and residents who have worked to get this say they are relieved.

“All the neighbors, all the residents in this area can finally breathe clean air,” Lester said.

“I’m still in shock. I mean, it’s great. We fought so hard. We’ve come together as a community and said, No, you’re not coming into our community and polluting it and not letting us enjoy our property or our health,” Lorie Venable of Fairborn said.

The agreement between the company and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office was sent to a judge Wednesday, but the court still has to finalize it by signing off on it.

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