Dive Brief:

• Negotiations are underway that will decide if cities in Sonoma County, California will be sending their waste to the county landfill for the next two decades. 
• Representatives from the county and cities are in the middle of determining liability for the site in the event the landfill's owner, Republic Services, should ever go out of business. A second sticking point is who will be responsible for the cost of maintenance and monitoring the site when it is closed in the future. 
• Republic has been temporarily monitoring the site since 2010. The company expects to take charge of the landfill under the 20-year contract for an estimated $547 million after the final deal is approved.

Dive Insight:

All sides are hopeful an agreement can be reached soon: The landfill is expected to reach capacity in the fall of 2014. Delays in a decision will push a needed landfill expansion back a year, forcing the county to haul trash to an alternative site at significant cost.