Beltrami County seeks state funding for regional 'hub-and-spoke' demolition landfill after MPCA rule changes

Beltrami County officials asked Minnesota legislators on Jan. 7 to support a multi-county bonding request to build lined demolition landfills and transfer stations after new MPCA rules require lined facilities.

County Public Works Director Bruce Hasvargen said a nine‑county coalition has proposed a “hub‑and‑spoke” design with a few lined landfills serving as hubs and smaller transfer stations serving as spokes. “This whole concept costs money,” Hasvargen said. He described the regional project as roughly a $67 million effort, with a $50 million request to the state; Beltrami County’s request is about $7 million and the county share is just over $2 million.

The county framed the request as a response to MPCA rule changes that, officials said, would prevent the county’s current demolition landfill from continuing to accept waste unless it is upgraded. “If the MPCA can’t be helping come up with solutions, then the rules shouldn’t be changing,” Hasvargen said.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that the permitting and construction timeline for landfill work can stretch for years. Commissioner Craig (chair) warned that merely delaying implementation until the county’s permit expires in 2029 is insufficient. “You can’t just build a landfill and pay for it all in a year,” he said, noting some counties in the coalition have already closed their landfills and that failing to provide legal disposal could lead to illegal dumping.

Public works staff also asked legislators to consider changes to how solid waste management funds are allocated. The county suggested that a portion of the state’s solid waste management tax now flowing to the general fund be redirected to solid waste activities such as the SCORE recycling grants or the demolition landfill project.

Hasvargen and county staff additionally urged support for extended producer responsibility measures to shift some collection and disposal costs onto manufacturers and retailers. Hasvargen said Beltrami County spends about $1.6 million annually to collect and process special wastes — household hazardous waste, tires, batteries and e‑waste — and that producer responsibility could reduce costs for counties.

The county also asked for legislative bonding for several transportation programs that often fund local infrastructure tied to waste and road projects, including the Local Bridge Program, Local Road Improvement Program, Greater Minnesota Transit, Safe Routes to School, Active Transportation and the Local Road Wetland Replacement Program. Beltrami County cited prior awards of $600,000 for bridges and $1.5 million for a local road improvement project as examples of state support the county uses when available.

Legislators in attendance acknowledged the scope of the request and urged the county to work with other affected jurisdictions. State Sen. Steve Green said counties must organize a coalition to press the case for funding, and he noted he has bills in mind to address some of the regulatory and funding concerns.

Without a legislative funding solution, county officials said they lack resources to meet the new MPCA requirements and would face difficult choices about landfill operations and local budgets.