No dump? How about tire shredding?

It seemed, at long last, that a fight over a sliver of land north of Dade City was finally over. A company called Angelo's Aggregate Materials asked to build a large landfill in the area. They were repeatedly told no.

Now it's got a new idea.

"What is at issue is cutting up tires. That's it. Cutting up tires," Angelo's Barbara Wilhite told members of Pasco County's Development Review Commission.

While the garbage dump may have been denied, Wilhite told commissioners that tires are different. "We received the [Department of Environmental Protection] permit last July to cut up tires."

That's something that worries Dave Johnson who lives near the area. "It's got to be protected, not only for Dade City, but for all the surrounding area."

He complained a tire shredding operation is just as dangerous as a garbage dump. "The tire-shredding facility would create carcinogenic issues with the water table and the aquifer as well."

Angelo's sued Pasco County after it was denied permission to build the dump. Wilhite suggested the litigation would end if it gets permission to shred tires.

"We have an agreement with your staff in January to avoid an appeal regarding the issue regarding tires."

The county may make a decision on the tire-shredding in August.