County says Arcadis report led to Bushnell landfill permit renewal; residents urged monitoring of odors

Residents raised odor and environmental concerns about the private-sector Heart of Florida landfill located in Bushnell. Jeremy Scott and others asked about the Arcadis environmental report and whether the city's renewal of a five-year operating permit preceded the final report.

County Administrator Mr. Arnold said the city had draft documentation and a final draft before renewing the permit, and that the Arcadis final report dated Dec. 9 documents steps the landfill operator took to address items cited in the city's intent to revoke. "When you read the final report, all of those specific points that were noticed in the intent to revoke the operating permit... Heart of Florida Landfill worked on each 1 of those items and therefore Arcadis shows where they brought those particular points into compliance," Mr. Arnold said.

Mr. Arnold also told the board that the operating-permit renewal moves the city into a monitoring phase and that the county will continue to track compliance; he said the injection wells were not part of the noncompliance finding for the operating permit and therefore were not addressed in the Arcadis report. Mr. Arnold said he would place the Arcadis report on his January 13 agenda so county residents can review the document.

Residents urged continued vigilance and asked for follow-up with the Sheriff's Office and state agencies when odor events occur. Mr. Arnold said the county would continue monitoring and that he had received the final report from the city manager that morning and would make copies available to interested residents.