After another round of motions over the last few days, attorneys for Conecuh Woods LLC sought to have a judge’s order forcing the landfill company to reveal its investors overturned.
But the judge in the case denied the motion to reconsider Tuesday.
It’s unclear when those investors could be revealed, because in its motion to seeking to overturn Circuit Judge Burt Smithart’s original ruling, the attorneys for Conecuh Woods said they would likely file an appeal with the Alabama Supreme Court if their motion was denied.
The ongoing legal battle pits the small town of Repton and a grassroots group, Citizens for a Cleaner Southwest Alabama, against an out-of-town company that seeks to put a massive landfill on 1,500 acres just outside Repton.
Escambia County, along with Brewton, Atmore and Flomaton, have joined the lawsuit, citing potential environmental fallout from the landfill.
Conecuh Woods’ motion to reconsider the order to reveal investors, the attorneys said they feared reprisals against those people who have invested in the company.
The proposed landfill has been a contentious issue in Conecuh County — and in Escambia County — for more than five years. Two years ago, the Conecuh County Commission voted 3-2 to approve the massive landfill, which developers have said would accept garbage from states across the country.
Supporters have cited the economic benefit of the landfill, but opponents have said it would be detrimental to the environment and nearby waterways.
In addition to the delays created by the lawsuit over the landfill, the Alabama Legislature passed a moratorium on new large landfills that would prevent any state environmental agency approvals for another year.