Pedigo Bay model home completely destroyed, ELF targeted

Bloomington environmentalists are up in arms today following a fire late last week that completely destroyed a $725,000 model home at Pedigo Bay, the soon-to-be luxury subdivision on the southeastern shore of Lake Monroe.\nThe fire, which blazed the 3,400-square-foot home, is still being investigated, while local authorities suspect arson at the crux of the flame. \n"There has still not been a determination that it is in fact arson," said Gary Johnson, detective for the Monroe County Sheriff's Department. \nJohnson was on the scene Thursday, but said he has since backed off a bit, while the State Fire Marshall; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation take over the case. \nThe incident, although spurring a ruckus in the local community, has kept local officials from speculating about the exact cause of the fire.\n"We had a fire. It was a total loss. There's an investigation going on," said Jeff Calabrese, assistant Perry Clear Creek Fire Department chief. Calabrese said fire officials don't know exactly when the fire started, but when they arrived on the scene at 6 a.m. Thursday morning, the house appeared to have been engulfed in flames for quite some time.\nInvestigators, as of yet, aren't commenting on the cause of the flame, but have said a propane tank was found inside the garage of the home.\nThe fire comes shortly after the development was fined nearly $50,000 by Monroe County Planning Department and the state for violating regulations concerning construction and tree clearing activities.\n"They received and agreed and have paid a $23,100 fine for violations of the zoning ordinance. There are regulations regarding land development activity in zones around Lake Monroe," said Andy Ruff, inspector for Monroe County Planning Department.\n"They failed to get permits, failed to submit plans for their activities and acted without these permits," Ruff said.\nPedigo Bay developer Steve Smith, who planned to live in the model home following its construction, also violated environmental protection requirements, such as erosion control and cutting down trees on steep slopes, an act that violates cutting regulations, Ruff said.\n"We think it was arson and maybe the ELF group," said Ronald Killian, owner of Pedigo Bay realty and development.\nThe Earth Liberation Front (ELF) is a so-called eco-terrorist group whose international underground affiliates utilize extremist measures to further its environmentalist agenda. On Feb. 12, the FBI's top domestic terrorism officer testified before Congress, identifying the ELF as the largest and most active terrorist organization within the U.S. \nIts acts have included arson, property damage and tree spiking among others, totaling well over $42 million in damages since 1996, $700,000 of which was attributed to an arson in February of 2000 to the luxury home of Bloomington resident Vince Scott in Sterling Woods.\nIn a communiqué sent by the ELF to local TV and radio stations the day after the Sterling Woods blaze, the group stated, "The house was targeted because the sprawling development it is located in is in the Lake Monroe Watershed. This is the drinking water supply for the town of Bloomington, Ind. and the surrounding area … Once again the rich of the world are destroying what little we have left in terms of natural areas and collective holdings (the water)."\nPedigo Bay is also located in the watershed.\nThe ELF has yet to take credit for the blaze at Pedigo Bay, and some local environmentalist say even if it did, it would be hard to separate the truth from the fanaticism.\nThe difference between the arson at Sterling Woods and the fire at Pedigo Bay is this: On a builder's sign approximately 100 feet north of the burnt house in Sterling Woods, were the words: No Sprawl -- ELF. Nothing was spray-painted during last week's incident, and the ELF has yet to claim the action. In the past, the ELF sent press releases throughout the community claiming responsibility and identifying its motivation.\n"They're in the business of claiming everything. How can you prove it either way?" said Scott Wells, county council and plan commission member.\nHe feels the fire was deliberate.\n"From my several different sources, it appears that the fire set at Pedigo Bay was arson. If this is true, this type of action is an outrage because of the destruction of personal property and potential loss of human life or injury resulting in fire fighting," Wells said.\nHe went on to say he knew of no environmentalists who would do such a thing.\n"This type of action only polarizes our community and gives the environmental movement a death sentence," he said.\nBloomington has been the target of many ELF actions, one of the only places in the Midwest with the exception of the University of Michigan where the eco-terrorists feel their presence is warranted.\n"Bloomington is as good as anywhere else," said Leslie Pickering, spokesman for the ELF press office. "It's very sporadic."\n