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Engineer: San Benito County landfill has limited airspace; closure estimated by 2036, transfer-station options studied
Summary
Lewis Engineering told the task force the county landfill had about 1,360,000 cubic yards of remaining capacity as of April 2025 and that staff has identified two in-county transfer-station options; a closure date of May 2036 was estimated and preliminary design/cost work is underway.
A county-contracted engineer told the Integrated Waste Management Local Task Force that San Benito County’s landfill has limited remaining airspace and that the county needs to develop alternatives before closure.
"As of April 2025, there is about 1,360,000 cubic yards [of] waste capacity remaining," said Sangeeta (Sangita) Lewis of Lewis Engineering during a presentation on landfill capacity and disposal options. Lewis also said the site’s current elevation was about 850 feet with a maximum around 950 feet and estimated a closure date of May 2036.
Lewis described two transfer-station concepts under review: using the landfill entrance area (which has limited queuing and would require significant retaining walls and constrained recycling space) and a larger, southerly site about a mile from the existing landfill with longer queuing lanes, one-way traffic patterns and more room for resource-recovery activity. "A bigger site, a bigger building and more options for the county with this location," Lewis said of the larger site option.
County staff told members they had consulted transfer-station designers and a contractor with extensive experience in transfer-station work; those consultants provided preliminary design guidance and cost insights. Lewis said it is difficult to develop an accurate cost estimate at this stage but that staff expects to present a ballpark estimate at a future quarter meeting.
Members asked questions relating to cost and timing; staff said a fuller cost comparison and schedule would be included in the board presentation expected next quarter. No public comments were received on the item.
