Commission hears technical presentation and public concerns at hearing on proposed Class 3 landfill near Lowland

At a public hearing April 23, 2026, the Hamblen County Commission heard a detailed presentation from consultants for SCI Waste and property owner RNS Logistics on a proposal to operate a Class 3 landfill on two parcels off State Route 160 (Hamblen County tax map 059 parcels 009.00 and 009.05).

Greg Jernigan, a licensed geologist and president of Jernigan Environmental Services, told the commission the two parcels total about 66 acres with roughly 40 acres usable for Class 3 waste. He said the site is underlain by Sevier Shale with a thick clay residuum and that prior environmental assessments showed no soil contaminants in upper test holes. “This facility will accept only Class 3 waste, no household waste, no hazardous waste,” Jernigan said, and added that permitting, design and operation would follow Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation rules for Class 3 material.

Jernigan described how Class 3 rules rely on a geologic buffer (5–10 feet of low-permeability material) rather than the engineered liners required for Class 1 facilities, and said the state’s permitting process would require subsurface testing and permeability data before approval. He estimated permitting would take about nine to 12 months once an application is submitted to the state.

SCI representatives and supporters emphasized local ties and operational standards. Kenny Noah of SCI (presented to the commission as project applicant) and other backers said the project would return underused industrial land to productive use and provide space for inert construction and demolition debris that they say should not occupy Class 1 capacity.

County solid-waste director Dennis Barnes told commissioners the project could have significant fiscal effects on county operations. Barnes said lower tipping fees at a private Class 3 facility could divert roughly 100 tons per day away from the county landfill—“about 1.5 million dollars a year,” he said—and that Hamblen County is concurrently funding an expensive Class 1 expansion that could be affected by reduced revenue.

Residents raised environmental and procedural concerns. Kim Coffee asked whether the design accounts for extreme-weather events and runoff given the site’s proximity to the Nolichucky River and downstream recreational and agricultural uses. Joseph Horn questioned property subdivision and road-frontage paperwork and asked whether signage posted by the applicant that listed an approval date complied with the Jackson Law notice requirements; the county attorney said he had not seen the sign and could not render an opinion without reviewing it.

Commissioners pressed presenters about access, types of permitted material (Jernigan said shredded tires or land-clearing debris would be addressed in permitting and were not pre-approved) and state oversight; presenters repeatedly noted TDEC would review characterization and require monitoring wells and reports if a permit is issued. Multiple speakers referenced prior investigations and closed landfills in the area and said remediation efforts at other sites remain under state oversight.

The public hearing was closed with no final vote; the chair said the county will revisit notice and procedural questions and that the commission’s next regular meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2026, when further action may occur.