St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro issued an executive order preventing SDT Waste and Debris Services from placing debris at the parish’s transfer station on Paris Road until the parish and company can come to an agreement on services and fees.

Taffaro issued the order following an Eyewitness News investigation that brought into question how much the parish was paying for debris disposal services.

St. Bernard Parish residents can still dump residential debris directly at the station as long as they present a parish driver’s license.

Taffaro said on Monday the action was necessary to prohibit SDT Waste and Debris Services trucks from transferring debris at the station.

“I don’t have a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with SDT Waste and Debris Services, and this is the result of a great deal of confusion that we have relative to our debris stream and the related costs,” Taffaro said. “I’m sure it can be worked out, but I have to take precautionary measures until that time.”

Taffaro’s executive order reads as follows:

“Due to ongoing safety concerns and the fiscal security of St. Bernard Parish, it is hereby ordered that the transfer station located on Paris Road in Chalmette is hereby restricted to use by St. Bernard Parish residents only and for the use of residential debris deposits made directly into the established 30 yard container receptacles.

“It is further ordered that SDT Waste and Debris Services shall be required to begin direct hauling St. Bernard Parish’s residential curb side waste until such time that a cooperative endeavor agreement can be composed and agreed to with St. Bernard Parish Government.”

New construction debris must be controlled and disposed of by the landowner responsible for the debris. As has been the practice, there is still no fee for residential dumping. Residents may dump at two locations: the designated ramped area at the Paris Road site in Chalmette and the E.J. Gore pumping station on East Judge Perez Drive in Poydras. The policy requires a person to show a valid St. Bernard driver’s license and have a trailer no larger than 16 feet.

People wanting to dump debris from larger trailers must get a letter of clearance from the Office of the Parish Chief Administrative Officer on the second floor of the Government Complex at 8201 W. Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette. There is three-haul maximum in any one-month period. Additional hauls within a one-month period will require a letter of clearance from the Parish CAO office.