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Engineers outline $16 million plan for Landfill 4 as Landfill 3 nears capacity
Summary
Engineers told the board the county should begin Landfill 4 construction soon as Landfill 3 is filling faster following nearby closures; initial construction is estimated at about $16 million over three years with significant infrastructure needs including liners, leachate and gas collection, and 3‑phase power.
Engineers Josh Gabehart and Mark Williams presented the county with an overview of construction needs and timing for Landfill 4 after Landfill 3’s accelerated fill rate.
Gabehart described technical requirements—60‑mil geomembrane liners, leachate collection systems, stormwater basins, perimeter roads, berms and site fencing—and said initial cell construction involves moving hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of soil. He said EPA rules require a landfill gas collection and combustion system once a landfill reaches a regulatory threshold and that the project will need three‑phase power and site utilities for flares and equipment.
The engineers proposed starting bid work in 2025 and beginning construction in 2026, with the first cell taking about 18 months to reach significant completion. They estimated approximately $16 million in construction spending over the first three years and noted contingencies of up to 20 percent because material costs (for example geomembrane pricing) are volatile.
Board members asked about public safety, traffic and rate impacts. One board member and the infrastructure chair said the county will likely need to raise tipping rates to cover debt service on construction and ongoing monitoring costs. The presenters emphasized long‑term obligations: closed cells require monitoring for a minimum of 30 years for gas and groundwater, meaning ongoing post‑closure costs even after a landfill stops accepting waste.
No vote was taken; engineers said they will return with more detailed bids and the board signaled broad support for advancing planning and procurement steps.
