Georgia legislators, Congressman Hank Johnson hold follow-up meeting addressing BioLab chemical fire concerns

ATLANTA – State Representatives Rhonda Taylor (D-Conyers), Billy Mitchell (D-Stone Mountain), Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), State Sen, Tonya Anderson (D-Lithonia) and Congressman Hank Johnson recently held a follow-up meeting on Thursday, Oct. 10,  via Zoom to address ongoing concerns from the BioLab chemical fire. This meeting followed a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 8,  at the State Capitol.

The follow-up meeting included Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Rockdale County leadership staff, representatives from BioLab, representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and members of the Rockdale and DeKalb County Legislative Delegations.

“It is very obvious to me that this is a much bigger problem than any of us, including BioLab, realize, and it will take the coming together of the community, the company and leaders to commit to not just the cleanup, but to the welfare of us all,” said Rep. Taylor, chair of the Rockdale County House Delegation. “I predict it will be years, if not decades, before we regain some form of normalcy.”

“We stand ready to support our communities and listen to their needs during this difficult time,” said Sen. Anderson, chair of the Rockdale County Senate Delegation. “Our goal is to facilitate a coordinated response that prioritizes public safety and environmental health.”

“I am grateful to Congressman Hank Johnson and other leaders for assembling such an important and informative discussion,” said Rep. Mitchell, chair of the House Democratic Caucus. “As was discussed, this catastrophe is not only affecting Rockdale County but perhaps many of the neighboring communities as well. As public officials, it’s incumbent on us all to devise policy to ensure that these incidents don’t proliferate. We must find solutions to protect our citizens, as this is one of the very reasons we have a government.”

“We continue to support these communities to ensure their safety and well-being,” said Rep. Drenner, chair of the DeKalb County House Delegation.

“The fire and chemical reaction at the BioLab facility has caused much suffering, and today, local, state officials and I were briefed on the actions being taken by BioLab to address the ongoing harm to our constituents,” said Congressman Johnson. “Their safety and well-being are our primary concern, and we are working hard to make things right for those impacted by this unfortunate incident.”

The legislators explained their key takeaways from the meetings as follows:

“Over 44 individuals signed up to speak during the public hearing, which took place on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 at the State Capitol. During the hearing, citizens expressed concerns that they were not being heard by officials and were receiving conflicting information regarding the incident, and participants emphasized the need for better communication from BioLab. Participants also expressed their health concerns. BioLab’s community liaison, Mr. Dexter Porter, addressed the attendees, apologizing for the situation and assuring them that the company is ‘doing everything it can’ to resolve the crisis. Additionally, local business owners voiced their concerns about access restrictions and sought guidance on how to recoup losses, including employee wages.

“During the follow-up meeting, coordinated by Congressman Johnson’s office, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, Rockdale County’s leadership, including directors and fire officials, confirmed that the fire was fully extinguished and that cleanup efforts will continue. They discussed the 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. shelter-in-place order, which was put in place due to the potential ongoing risks. Chairman Oz Nesbitt answered questions about the county’s preparedness for repeated incidents at the BioLab facility and discussed the state of emergency resolution. Contact details were also shared for county employees to address additional public inquiries regarding the incident and recovery process.

“Furthermore, during the hearing, BioLab’s CEO and COO apologized and promised to remain in the community for as long as necessary to assist residents in returning to normalcy. They stated that support is being offered not only to Rockdale residents, but also to anyone who believes they have been affected by the chemical fire. They then stated that assistance is provided on an honor system, with no stringent requirements. They provided information for reporting dead animals, filing claims for reimbursements and addressing debris issues. Finally, BioLab committed to keeping an indefinite, direct line of communication to address residents’ concerns.”

Thee legislators also seek to share the following resources:

Please click here to view the BioLab Incident Resource Guide.

Please click here for EPA information on the fire.

Please click here to view the community website.

Please click here to submit BioLab claims.

Please click here to request debris pickup.

Please click here for the community support email.

To view a press release from the Georgia Emergency Management, please click here.

Please click here to contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to report concerns regarding dead wildlife such as birds and bees.

Please call 678-301-2359 for BioLab Resource Information, and please call 770-697-7522 to access the debris hotline.

The Community Center is located at: 927 North Main Street NW, Conyers, GA 30012.For further information and future updates, please click here to contact the office of Representative Rhonda Taylor.

 Editor’s note: attached is a copy of the BioLab Incident Resource Guide. 

Representative Rhonda Taylor represents the citizens of District 92, which includes portions of DeKalb and Rockdale counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Juvenile Justice and Special Rules committees. 

Representative Billy Mitchell represents the citizens of District 88, which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Minority Caucus. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and on the Banks & Banking, Ethics, Health and Regulated Industries committees. 

Representative Karla Drenner represents the citizens of District 85, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000 and currently serves as Secretary of the Small Business Development Committee. She also serves on the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Natural Resources & Environment, Public Health, Rules and Urban Affairs committees. 

Senator Tonya Anderson represents the 43rd Senate District, which includes portions of DeKalb, Newton and Rockdale County. She may be reached by email at tonya.anderson@senate.ga.gov.