Leachate within statutes; expansion feasibility expected before year-end, landfill officials say

At the Oct. 6 Landfill Standing Committee meeting, the committee heard that leachate levels have been “within statutes” for the past three months and that the state-level feasibility determination for a proposed landfill expansion is expected before the end of the year, officials said.

The compliance officer told the committee that recent audits show the average depth of leachate on the liner is under a foot and that recent work on the leachate force main appears to have resolved earlier issues. The report said the new cell is where most incoming waste is being placed while final-cap construction continues elsewhere on site.

Committee members were told final-cover construction has focused on a roughly 10-acre area. Clay, who gave the status-of-projects update, said the cap construction has been underway for months and contractors should finish the current phase this week, with seeding or stabilization scheduled for later this week or early next week.

Clay said replacement gas-well drilling is under way as part of ongoing cell construction; he estimated about two more weeks of drilling followed by one to two weeks of header connections. The compliance officer said the landfill’s gas-delivery run time to the district (MMSD) has been about 88% year to date, and that the district ultimately dictates how much gas it takes.

On groundwater and permitting, staff said they must submit one remaining groundwater item to the state as part of the expansion review. After resolving an earlier flood-plain issue with FEMA, the department is prepared to issue a feasibility determination — a step staff called “pretty big” because it effectively identifies that a landfill would be allowed at the proposed expansion site. The compliance officer said the next major step will be submitting a plan of operation for review; staff expect that plan-of-operation review and final approvals will likely continue through 2026.

Committee members did not take any formal votes on permits or the expansion at the meeting. Staff framed the expansion status as regulatory steps in progress and listed expected timelines; no final approvals were recorded at the meeting.

Also at the meeting, the site general manager said he expects to step back from his GM role at the end of the year after more than 40 years in the industry and that his operations manager is expected to assume responsibilities. He said a formal announcement and transition details will come before year-end.

Members and staff discussed ongoing contractor work related to seeding, cap material availability, and the pace of work; staff emphasized that funding and materials are in place and that the pace reflects construction sequencing rather than lack of resources.

No new formal committee actions or votes related to permitting, expansion approvals or staffing were recorded; items were presented as status updates and next steps for regulatory review.