Black Fungus from JD Rickhouses Irking Local Residents

[jvd99]

The black fungus that's ubiquitous in bourbon country seems to be spreading out from the Jack Daniel's Distillery and the Lincoln County residents are none too happy. Anyone who's been on a distillery tour has seen the black fungus, which feeds off the ethanol vapors. It's also the reason lots of rickhouses are painted black, so the fungus covered buildings look better. Anyways, lawsuits have been filed by local residents. They are calling for immediate stoppage of construction on new rickhouses, air filtration systems on the rickhouses and an environmental impact study from the EPA. The article also implies some guy got lung cancer but it's not clear if they are alleging the fungus causes cancer. This kind of thing has the potential to attract some big time environmentalist interest, especially from the lawyers, which is never a good thing. Environmentalist lawyers vs. Brown-Forman....should be interesting.

 

https://www.insider.com/jack-daniels-fueling-back-whiskey-fungus-in-tennessee-community-residents-2023-2

[Richnimrod]

Yeah!   The locals have discovered that MONEY might be obtained if they suddenly resist and rebel against the only major employer in the area. One with VERY deep pockets.   ...And, an ambitious expansion plan that they have no intention of stopping or altering very much, I'm sure.    ...A firm with the potential for bigger and even bigger profits if those plans are realized.

All about the lawyers and settlements, nothing to do with any actual environmental or health impacts, IMHO.    Wave some cash in front of anybody while a skilled salesman tells folx it's there for the asking, and no risk to anybody's jobs.   Not a surprise that some takers are found willing to take the plunge.       Little to no cash outlay for the plaintiffs, and the potential for a pretty nice payday... in an area where not many make a big living, other than in the employ of JD.

[smokinjoe]

Barton (and other distilleries) have been battling this for years.  Here’s an old thread.

 

[jvd99]

On 2/28/2023 at 5:18 PM, smokinjoe said:

Barton (and other distilleries) have been battling this for years.  Here’s an old thread.

 

Is that thread a dusty?

[smokinjoe]

27 minutes ago, jvd99 said:

Is that thread a dusty?

Yes, and going on secondary for $3K!  LOL!  

[PaulO]

BBC news has a good article on this topic - JD and the black mold complaints.

It says this mold grows near distilleries and bakeries around the world, originally identified in France.  In this country, appearance of the black mold tipped off authorities a moonshine still was in operation nearby.

[jvd99]

Chuck Cowdry is running a six part series on the black fungus over on his website if anyone is interested. As usual with Chuck, it's super in-depth and historical. A good read IMO.

Edited April 9, 2023 by jvd99

[Richnimrod]

Small correction, I think.   I believe Mr. Cowdery's series on the whiskey fungus will be 9-parts.   I agree, it's pretty interesting and detailed regarding historical facts and semi-current legal issues.   Part 7- hit his blog yesterday, I think.

[Harry in WashDC]

On 2/28/2023 at 4:08 PM, Richnimrod said:

Yeah!   The locals have discovered that MONEY might be obtained if they suddenly resist and rebel against the only major employer in the area. One with VERY deep pockets.   ...And, an ambitious expansion plan that they have no intention of stopping or altering very much, I'm sure.    ...A firm with the potential for bigger and even bigger profits if those plans are realized.

All about the lawyers and settlements, nothing to do with any actual environmental or health impacts, IMHO.    Wave some cash in front of anybody while a skilled salesman tells folx it's there for the asking, and no risk to anybody's jobs.   Not a surprise that some takers are found willing to take the plunge.       Little to no cash outlay for the plaintiffs, and the potential for a pretty nice payday... in an area where not many make a big living, other than in the employ of JD.

Old lawyer joke - shipwreck dropped dozens of people in the ocean.  Sharks circled and bit.  A couple guys came out unscathed.  The reason? Professional curtesy.  Another - difference between lawyers and vermin? There are some things that vermin won’t do or eat.

 

Posted by a (retired) member of the DC Bar ( and I do not mean the wet kind.)

[Kjbarth]

My first reaction to this was ‘how can any reasonable person that moves near a facility that has been operating for decades (century +) and is known to have a nearby mold problem’ expect to move nearby and then complain about the known problem. 
 

 But then, we seem to be getting conditioned people challenging norms and prevailing.

[Richnimrod]

7 hours ago, Kjbarth said:

My first reaction to this was ‘how can any reasonable person that moves near a facility that has been operating for decades (century +) and is known to have a nearby mold problem’ expect to move nearby and then complain about the known problem. 
 

 But then, we seem to be getting conditioned people challenging norms and prevailing.

 

Well, one needn't be in the right to gain monetarily.   One only needs to have an attorney who's loud enough and savvy enough to bargain for some cheddar.    Happens all the time in the Good Ole USA.   

We are a litigious society.  It cannot be denied.   ...And, the profit motive has no moral compass.

[Special Reserve]

11 hours ago, Kjbarth said:

My first reaction to this was ‘how can any reasonable person that moves near a facility that has been operating for decades (century +) and is known to have a nearby mold problem’ expect to move nearby and then complain about the known problem. 
 

 But then, we seem to be getting conditioned people challenging norms and prevailing.

In lovely Livonia there is a turkey farm and a horse stable both have been there before the city was incorporated in 1950.  With the past couple of decades expensive homes have been built immediately adjacent to the farms. In both cases, the new homeowner sued to have them shut down and rezoned.  In both cases the city did the right thing and said no to the new homeowner.