Landfill committee hears missed audit, leachate and construction updates

The Emerald Park Landfill Standing Committee met Jan. 8, 2024, in Muskego City and heard a compliance report that included a missed audit and updates on leachate, gas management and ongoing construction.

Compliance officer Joe Spear Jr. told the committee that “JSA failed to conduct an audit at the February. I was not able to get out to the site…so the week of the seventeenth is a missed audit,” and called the missed inspection a “surprise miss.” He said it was the first missed audit in 27 years but did not provide additional corrective deadlines at the meeting.

The report covered operational details the committee said matter to neighbors and regulators. A GFL environmental representative, Daniel Oltenberger, said the site has two leachate head wells that are “barely over a foot” and another “over 2 feet,” and reminded the committee that “the DNR requirement is a foot.” Oltenberger said the higher readings are below the extreme levels the site experienced in prior years and that improved communications and pumping systems have reduced some historic moisture issues.

Committee members and staff also discussed a gas alarm sequence that triggered on “the 20 sixth” (as stated in the meeting transcript). Spear said the site management traced that alarm to a communications problem related to floats and that site modifications had been made to prevent that particular sequence from recurring; he cautioned that high levels remain possible.

Construction and earthmoving remain active. Spear said excavation had reached “over 40%” of the current excavation target though “as of last Wednesday, they weren't at yet 50%.” He reported daily earth-moving rates described in the meeting as roughly 50,000 cubic yards a day, and later noted a project goal of moving about 1,700,000 cubic yards of dirt; the contractor’s on-site extraction was described as roughly 40–50% complete.

The committee also flagged a security-fencing detail. Spear reviewed the 02/2008 drawings and said there is “no callout for security fencing or any kind of access control on the drawings” for the new cell; he said he would raise that in his next site visit.

On regulatory and monitoring items, Spear said a feasibility addendum submitted in September–October remains under review by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and a DNR review engineer gave no timeline for completion. Separately, staff said letters went to 46 well‑owners in the well‑water protection area; 30 property owners returned forms indicating interest and the committee said sampling teams completed 35 sampling events in December. Lab results were expected back by January, with review by the environmental safety committee (ESC) and follow-up letters planned for February.

Other operational notes presented to the committee included a brief status update that landfill gas delivery to the MMSD (Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District) has averaged roughly 80% delivery to the district in the latter half of the year and that stockpiles and relocated soil are being used as interim cover where needed.

The committee confirmed its next meeting for April 8, 2024.