BLACK, Ala. (WDNews) — The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is proposing a $22,020 civil penalty against a Geneva County property owner over an alleged unauthorized dump and illegal scrap tire accumulation.
The proposed administrative order names Jimmy R. Gibson, who owns property at 311 Reed Patch Road in Black. ADEM alleges Gibson created and failed to properly close the waste sites. The order and penalty are not final.
According to the proposed order, inspectors visited the property Feb. 27, 2024, after receiving a complaint. They reported about 1,885 cubic yards of improperly disposed waste, including construction debris, appliances, scrap vehicles and car batteries, along with about 420 uncovered, weathered scrap tires.
ADEM says it issued a violation notice in May 2024 requiring cleanup. During a follow-up inspection Jan. 7, 2026, inspectors found about 1,900 cubic yards of waste and roughly 150 scrap tires. The agency said it had received no response to the violation notice.
ADEM reported no known irreversible environmental damage or imminent threat to public health or safety at the site.
If issued, the order would require Gibson to stop operating or contributing to unauthorized dumps and illegal scrap tire sites. He would also have to submit a cleanup plan detailing how the waste would be removed and properly disposed of, along with a completion timeline.
The public notice, dated Oct. 15, allows written comments and hearing requests within 30 days of publication. Comments may be mailed to ADEM, Attention: Stephen A. Cobb, Chief of the Land Division, P.O. Box 301463, Montgomery, AL 36130-1463. The proposed order is available through ADEM’s public notices page.