Environmental Contamination Diane Weyermann Vacation House

What EVP Participant Media doesn't want you to know about the "deep secret" about pollution from paper mills near her vacation home on Amelia Island, S. 6th Street, Fernandina Beach, FL outside of the historic district of town: ask her real estate brokers, including Sotheby's before you buy.  Caveat emptor.  Diane Weyerman was recently sued and looking to get rid of property at price that is twice that of mortgage and credit line -- she has no equity in house.  Beware. Old 09-30-2012, 05:23 PM
Coffeecake

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Small, quaint, upscale Florida town that sits right on the water. Amelia Island is a lovely resort that is frequented by many vacationers. The whole scene is picturesque. So what's the negative?

Well, unless you've lived there (which I have) Fernandina's deep, dark secret, that locals aren't willing to talk about, is the air pollution created by the two paper mills. Particularly in the spring time when the companies clean out their equipment and smoke stacks. I've worked in downtown Fernandina right around the corner from the paper mills and my kids went to school within walking distance of the paper mills. During those times of cleaning, the air has a yellowish-green smoggy color to it along with a stench. The closer you are to the mills the more possibility your eyes will burn. If you have allergies, they will likely be worse. This little yearly ritual lasts about 2-3 days. The rest of the year the smell is present on and off with varying degrees of strength. Many days you can't smell it at all, although some days it can be stronger, but it depends on the wind and what the papermills are doing. That said, the stench isn't as pronounced as it was those few days in spring.

But here's the kicker, I have a relative that works in the medical community around the area. When she asked if the mills caused allergy problems, many of the doctors deny it. However off the record, she got one doctor to vaguely admit that he thinks it is a problem. Amongst the medical staff, they all know and quietly observe that it really IS a problem. They also note that many patients in the area have asthma with a high number of them on inhalers.

Lastly, not so much of a problem, but more of a nuisance are the logging trucks. The two lane route that heads into Fernandina Beach (A1A) is the main route for the trucks to the papermills. Nearly every weekday morning the long, logger trucks are hauling their full length pine tree cargo. Not just one truck but many. Although the truckers travel at a fairly good clip, the issue is driving around them can be a little intimidating. Even for locals driving wedged between two loggers lumbering down to town can be challenging. It's advisable to say a little prayer when passing the trucks praying that the driver secured his load well that day.
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Old 10-01-2012, 03:04 PM
BlueWillowPlate

Location: on an island
13,325 posts, read 30,364,919 times
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The OP is long gone, I answered the same question a couple days before this one was posted.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coffeecake  View Post

Well, unless you've lived there (which I have) Fernandina's deep, dark secret, that locals aren't willing to talk about, is the air pollution created by the two paper mills. Particularly in the spring time when the companies clean out their equipment and smoke stacks. I've worked in downtown Fernandina right around the corner from the paper mills and my kids went to school within walking distance of the paper mills. During those times of cleaning, the air has a yellowish-green smoggy color to it along with a stench. The closer you are to the mills the more possibility your eyes will burn. If you have allergies, they will likely be worse. This little yearly ritual lasts about 2-3 days. The rest of the year the smell is present on and off with varying degrees of strength. Many days you can't smell it at all, although some days it can be stronger, but it depends on the wind and what the papermills are doing. That said, the stench isn't as pronounced as it was those few days in spring.
The local newspaper doesn't talk about it, the mills employ a lot of the community. However, I would not exactly call the paper mill smell a deep dark secret, on the internet in general, and especially on this message board in particular. I've lived here 5 and a half years and have never noticed a yellowish-green smog, but I do notice the smell, more in winter than the rest of the year. During summer/fall I rarely notice anything at all. I also notice the smell of the marshes on Egan's Creek at low tide. That smells like sulphur. But that's just my personal experience (we live on the north end of the island about a 5 minute's drive or 15 minute bike ride from downtown.)
Quote:
But here's the kicker, I have a relative that works in the medical community around the area. When she asked if the mills caused allergy problems, many of the doctors deny it. However off the record, she got one doctor to vaguely admit that he thinks it is a problem. Amongst the medical staff, they all know and quietly observe that it really IS a problem. They also note that many patients in the area have asthma with a high number of them on inhalers.
You are entitled to your opinion, and so are the reticent medical folk. I'll wait for the peer-reviewed scientific study. There are plenty of opportunities for allergies, but I don't see how steam rising in the air is the cause. IMHO it's more likely pollen, and this is also what the North Florida Regional Medicine Center lists as the highest risk factor for asthma flareups. We do get plenty of pollen here.
Quote:
Lastly, not so much of a problem, but more of a nuisance are the logging trucks. The two lane route that heads into Fernandina Beach (A1A) is the main route for the trucks to the papermills. Nearly every weekday morning the long, logger trucks are hauling their full length pine tree cargo. Not just one truck but many. Although the truckers travel at a fairly good clip, the issue is driving around them can be a little intimidating. Even for locals driving wedged between two loggers lumbering down to town can be challenging. It's advisable to say a little prayer when passing the trucks praying that the driver secured his load well that day.
I hate the trucks. They bother me a lot more than the mills. I've never heard of logs becoming loose, but I have heard of plenty of accidents and seen many go through red lights.
This is something that actually has been addressed in the local newspaper. There was discussion of logs only being transported by train, but that this would slow down traffic being stuck at the railroad crossing, which is probably true.

Maybe some day the mills will be closed. This has happened at other small fishing towns that decided to throw their lot with tourism. It probably will not happen any time soon, and I personally would prefer that this town not become another Aspen or Santa Fe.
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