County council introduces emergency bill to limit out-of-county landfill waste amid capacity concerns

The Wicomico County Council on July 1 unanimously introduced an emergency ordinance that would give the council final authority over the operating days and hours of the Newland Park landfill and generally restrict commercial solid waste originating outside Wicomico County.

The measure was introduced after senior county staff said a March aerial survey showed far less remaining capacity at Newland Park than earlier documents indicated, and after the executive’s office shared a phased plan this month to restrict commercial-hauler access on weekends and other days. The council set a work session in two weeks and scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 5.

Why it matters: County officials said the landfill could be fully unusable within about a year at current disposal rates unless inbound tonnage is limited. Council members and haulers warned that ad hoc closures or phased day restrictions could cause public-health and logistical problems — including increased roadside dumping or operators unable to complete contracted weekday work.

What council and staff said: County Attorney Michael Benson (introducing the item) reviewed the county’s legal documents and told the council he found no explicit provision in the county’s Maryland Department of the Environment refuse permit that bars…