County orders $116,798 landfill slope‑stability analysis to preserve capacity after Michael

Commissioners authorized a $116,798 task order on March 18 for engineers to perform a landfill slope stability analysis and begin the permitting work needed to modify the facility’s FDEP operating permit. Staff said the landfill — a Class III site handling yard debris and construction and demolition (C&D) debris — lost capacity after Hurricane Michael and that the 2022 permit shortened the remaining useful life to roughly ten years in current configuration.

Mrs. Erin Griffith briefed the Board that the original landfill permitted a 5:1 slope but that permitting to allow a 3:1 slope would increase airspace and likely extend the landfill’s useful life by more than ten years. She said the county is also moving toward a transfer station model to export C&D material, but that could take two to three years to implement and the slope study would preserve needed capacity while that transition occurs. Estimates for the analysis timeline ranged from six months to a year.

Commissioner Amison noted constituent interest after changes to amnesty days and requested the item be discussed publicly for information; the Board approved the task order (motion carried 5‑0).

Next steps: Engineers will complete the slope stability analysis and prepare permit modification materials for FDEP; staff will pay the task order from the landfill tipping fee fund and return with permit timelines and implementation options.