Hamblen County holds public hearing on proposed Class 3 landfill near Morristown

Greg Jernigan, a licensed geologist and president of Jernigan Environmental Services, told the Hamblen County Commission that two parcels on Inca Highway totaling about 66 acres — with roughly 40 acres estimated as usable for Class 3 waste — are being proposed for a privately funded Class 3 landfill operated by SEI Waste. Jernigan said preliminary testing showed a thick shale and clay layer beneath the site, no contaminants in the upper soils where he sampled, and that the project would be designed and permitted under Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) rules.

The proposal, Jernigan said, would accept only Class 3 materials — primarily inert construction and demolition debris — not household or hazardous waste, and would operate during daytime hours with continual staffing and daily compaction. He told the commission that if subsurface permeability tests did not meet the state’s geologic-buffer requirements, TDEC could require engineered liners during permitting.

The hearing drew repeated questions about environmental safeguards and local impacts. Dennis Barnes, director of Hamblen County–Morristown Solid Waste, said the proposed landfill could reduce tonnage and tipping‑fee revenue at the county facility, estimating the potential loss at about 100 tons a day — an amount he said could translate to roughly $1.5 million a year in lost revenue for the solid‑waste operation. Barnes told commissioners he could produce more detailed tonnage and revenue figures on request.

Residents and several commissioners pressed the applicant and staff on permitting and operations. Commissioners asked whether shredded tires, yard debris or other materials would be accepted; Jernigan said specific operational plans (including shredding) have not yet been proposed to TDEC and would be addressed in the permitting and characterization work. He estimated a 9–12 month state permitting timeline once an application is filed.

Public commenters raised additional concerns. Gwendolyn Holden and others said signs at the site appeared to state incorrectly that the commission would approve the project that night; Holden urged the county attorney to verify that signage and published notices met the requirements of the Jackson law. Kim Coffey said the site lies within a mile of the Nolichucky River’s main channel and asked about safeguards in the event of a severe storm or flooding. Joseph Hahn asked about platting and zoning on some parcels and whether notice and frontage requirements had been met.

Jernigan and a technical speaker representing the applicant emphasized the site’s industrial zoning and existing nearby landfill facilities, and said their objective was to preserve more expensive Class 1 landfill space by directing inert Class 3 materials to a purpose‑built facility. County and city oversight — including TDEC permitting and required monitoring wells and reporting — were repeatedly cited as the regulatory safeguards that would govern operation.

The hearing closed after public comment and the commission reconvened; no vote was taken that night. Commissioners and staff said the item would return for a formal decision at a later meeting (the sign and several speakers referenced an expected county vote on May 21). Several commissioners and the solid‑waste director said they want more granular tonnage and financial data and clear confirmation that notice and signage complied with statutory requirements before voting.

Next steps: the county record shows the public hearing closed and the commission will consider a formal motion at a subsequent meeting. The county attorney told a commissioner he had not yet reviewed the signage and could not opine without reviewing the materials and notices.