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Council approves Minute Landfill O&M manual; park district to monitor site-use under EPA oversight
Summary
The council approved the operation and maintenance manual for the Minute Landfill Superfund site, allowing planned recreational reuse by the park district while maintaining city responsibility and EPA monitoring requirements.
The Minot City Council unanimously approved the operation and maintenance (O&M) manual for the Minute Landfill Superfund site on Feb. 18. Staff said the approval is a key step in allowing the park district to reuse portions of the site for recreational features such as a Frisbee golf course, mountain-bike trails and cross-country routes, subject to EPA conditions and continued monitoring.
Why it matters: The landfill was capped in the 1990s and monitored under a federal consent decree. Staff said the EPA has signaled the site has met remedial obligations and that previous long gaps in engagement slowed planning. Park District plans include trails and low-impact recreation, but staff and the EPA require ongoing air and leachate monitoring to ensure public safety and to protect the landfill cap.
Key details: The city will remain the overall responsible party for the site; reuse will require the park district to carry out monitoring and maintenance for the portions it uses. The O&M package will be filed with a modified consent decree through the federal court system to document the site’s new use and the monitoring regime.
Staff noted that the EPA has been cautious and required a dedicated remedial project manager; recent progress reflects better federal engagement and a staff effort to define the testing and monitoring protocols needed for public access. The council voted unanimously to approve the O&M manual and allow the next steps toward recreational reuse under the EPA’s oversight.
Next steps: Staff will submit the O&M plan as part of a consent-decree modification process in federal court and coordinate required monitoring regimes before public use begins.
