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 taking out-of-county solid waste. Benson also said the county’s solid-waste management plan mentions “no out of county” restrictions only for rubble and construction debris, not for municipal solid waste.

Adam Corey, executive director of environmental services, Department of Public Works, told the council the county had received new aerial and operational data this year. “We’ve got the aerial data, we don’t have it,” Corey said during the discussion, describing how updated surveys changed the county’s understanding of remaining cell capacity. Corey later told the council bluntly: “We’ve gotta stop accepting other people’s trash.”

Andrew Illumini of the Department of Law presented a timeline and the county’s analysis of remaining capacity. He told the council the most conservative staff numbers show roughly 11 months of capacity at current burn rates if inbound waste is not limited.

Council concerns and industry input: Council members said they had not been briefed in advance on the executive’s phased plan and pressed for a transparent public process. The proposed executive timeline discussed closing the landfill to commercial haulers on Saturdays beginning Aug. 1, increasing to Saturdays and Mondays on Oct. 1 and adding a third weekday in Feb. 2026, with a potential full commercial closure by July 1, 2026. Council members warned such a phased approach could create concentrated arrivals on the remaining open days, overload staff, and risk illegal dumping. Haulers and residents at the meeting described practical impacts on collection schedules and worker hours.

Enforcement and code issues: Staff and councilors discussed existing county code language that still authorizes out-of-county transfer-station permits and the county’s practice (a $90 permit line in the code for out-of-county permits was cited). Benson said change to the code would be required if the county intended to end out-of-county permits. The draft emergency bill includes penalty provisions for violations and gives the law department authority to review manifests and manifests-based evidence when enforcing limits.

Funding, future cells and alternatives: Finance Director Pam Olin and landfill staff said the county is simultaneously pursuing the design and permitting work for Cell 7 and evaluating funding to construct new cells and mitigate a shortfall. Staff said Bay Restoration Fund and State Revolving Fund (SRF) monies have been used on related infrastructure projects and that funding mechanisms and tipping schedules affect decisionmaking going forward.

Next steps: The council introduced the emergency bill unanimously and scheduled a work session in two weeks to review draft language and the operational timeline with landfill staff and legal counsel. A public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 5. Staff told the council they will also supply the analysis and supporting documents requested by members ahead of the work session.

What the bill would do (as introduced): The draft emergency ordinance would (1) require council approval before the county changes landfill operating days or hours that affect commercial haulers, (2) restrict acceptance of commercial solid waste generated outside Wicomico County, and (3) create a surcharge/penalty mechanism and manifest-inspection authority to implement the restriction (details to be refined in the work session).

Public comment: Dozens of residents and stakeholders spoke during public comment, a majority urging the council to limit out-of-county waste and to avoid ad hoc closures that would disrupt service for county residents. Several speakers urged the council and executive to move quickly to open additional cell capacity and to avoid sudden operational shifts.

What was decided: The council voted to introduce the emergency bill and to hold a work session and public hearing; no final restrictions were adopted on July 1.