Noble Environmental’s ongoing quest to ship more waste by rail to its largest landfill continues to hit snags, as community opposition is forcing federal regulators to ask the company more questions. In Maine, regulators have again said Casella’s proposed Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion would serve a public benefit, after being forced to reconsider its determination by an appeal.
Below are more details on those topics and other recent notable landfill news.
Noble Environmental continues to pursue rail options
Pennsylvania-based Noble Environmental continues to explore waste-to-rail options connected to its Greentree Landfill in Elk County, Pennsylvania. The Surface Transportation Board is now reviewing the plans submitted by a subsidiary amid continued local opposition to a transloading facility.
Last month, the company withdrew a permit application for a rail-to-truck transfer station in Snyder Township after community opposition. It’s now shifting its plans to use existing track to transfer waste on rail cars to trucks in a nearby area without removing it from containers.
Lampwrights, the subsidiary of Noble looking to operate the rail component, said the planned transfer facility would not be considered a solid waste transfer station because waste would not be transferred outside of its original shipping container, per a filing it made to the Surface Transportation Board earlier this month.
The filing also noted Lampwrights’ plans to operate one train per day on the rail line. That’s part of a broader plan to ship waste by rail all the way to the landfill, which Noble plans to complete at a later date, according to the Courier Express.
The Surface Transportation Board received several petitions related to Noble Environmental’s request that urged the federal regulator to decide against the company’s plans. As a result, the board is seeking more information from Noble, including the amount of increased truck traffic its plans would generate.
Juniper Ridge Landfill again wins key approval
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection determined on Monday that an expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill serves a public benefit, News Center Maine first reported. It’s a key step to overcome opposition to the plan.
This is the second time DEP has made that determination. It was forced to revisit its decision as part of an ongoing appeal filed by the Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation. The appellants have argued that an expansion would harm the Nation, which is already overburdened by pollution, through chemical releases into the Penobscot River.
The landfill is operated by Casella Waste Systems, which declined to comment. The company is hoping to expand the landfill by 61 acres, which would add roughly 11 years of life to the facility. Without an expansion, Casella predicts the landfill could be full by 2028.
Other expansion and pollution news
- The U.S. EPA announced it had completed pre-excavation sampling at the West Lake Landfill, a Superfund site. The landfill is owned by a Republic Services subsidiary, and has drawn concern from nearby residents due to radiologically contaminated material dumped at the site. (U.S. EPA)
- El Paso, Texas, completed a $20 million expansion of its publicly owned landfill last week. The expansion adds about 65 acres and 12 years of life, and it included the installation of a new leachate management system. (KFOX)
- Ashe County, North Carolina, commissioners approved a $16 million contract to build a new landfill cell and environmental services building. Baker Construction will expand the landfill, which will add about 15 to 20 years of life. (Ashe Post & Times)
- Vernon County, Wisconsin, is weighing its options as a planned expansion of the Vernon County Landfill remains tied up in a state review process. The county is exploring recapturing airspace by removing layers of intermediate soil cover on existing cells, but officials predict they also need to shift waste to other nearby landfills until the expansion can be completed. (Vernon Reporter)
- A Tennessee state senator is advancing a bill that would designate the Big South Fork River as “scenic” under state code, preventing future landfill construction. Trans-Rail Waste Services is attempting to build a new landfill adjacent to its existing Volunteer Regional Landfill, but the plans for a new facility could be halted by the bill. (WATE)
- The New York Supreme Court invalidated a law passed by the town of Seneca Falls seeking to close the Seneca Meadows Landfill, which is operated by a Waste Connections subsidiary. The company's expansion plans at the site are still under review by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. (Finger Lakes 1)
- The Atlantic County Utilities Authority received approval from county commissioners for its planned expansion of a 102-acre landfill in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. State officials still need to approve the expansion, which has been dogged by odor complaints from nearby residents. (NJ.com)
