County board signs 10‑year waste projection for East Central landfill certificate of need

The Pine County Board authorized the board chair to sign a letter estimating the county's projected waste deliveries for the next 10 years as part of an East Central Solid Waste Commission certificate‑of‑need filing with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

County staff explained the certificate‑of‑need requires each participating county to submit ten‑year forecast tonnage estimates to justify the need for opening a new landfill cell at the joint facility near Mora. Using historical data, staff said Pine County's waste tonnage has increased about 2% a year; using 2024 numbers, staff provided a projection rising from 22,919 tons in 2025 to roughly 27,391 tons by 2034.

Board discussion noted that landfill life estimates have been shorter than earlier projections; commissioners recalled a prior cell expected to last 10 years being filled in seven. The board also discussed longer‑term planning options such as incineration or alternate waste technologies and emphasized the need to plan now for capacity beyond the next cell.

A motion to authorize the board chair to sign the projection letter passed unanimously. County staff said the commission's policy does not accept waste from nonmember counties under normal practice and that the landfill has room for expansion estimated in the low‑40 years for currently planned cells, but commissioners recommended continued strategic planning for regional waste management.

The authorization transmits Pine County's estimate to the East Central Solid Waste Commission and supports the commission's application for the new cell; it does not itself appropriate funds.