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Board explores ATAX funding, regional MRF options as landfill life concerns advance
Summary
Beaufort County board members discussed applying to municipalities’ accommodations‑tax funds (ATAX) and partnering regionally to finance diversion infrastructure or a regional MRF to address projected landfill capacity limits; staff will collect prior studies, contact Waste Management and prepare a focused ATAX proposal for municipal partners.
Board members debated near‑term funding strategies to address a recurring concern about landfill capacity. A member said the county has "about five years" left in its landfill and urged the board to seek dedicated funding; the proposal on the table was to pursue accommodations‑tax (ATAX) funds from the municipality pool that includes Hilton Head Island and other local governments.
"Hilton Head is one of the largest that we can receive funding from," said a board member who urged a focused application that states specific infrastructure needs. Victoria Hoffman, the county’s Solid Waste director, said the county could submit a county proposal and stressed the importance of a concise plan to present to municipal partners and ATAX administrators.
Members discussed whether funds should be used for diversion programming, MRF planning or to seed a regional hub‑and‑spoke approach pending the state’s EPA‑funded grant details. One board member argued that siting a full‑scale MRF within Beaufort County would be difficult for permitting and recommended exploring a regional MRF in an adjacent county with rail or interstate access (Hampton, Jasper or Colleton), with Beaufort County functioning as a hub or spoke.
The board asked staff to compile prior consultant studies, circulation of the state waste audit and to request updated landfill‑lifespan and feasibility figures from Waste Management. Hoffman said she will circulate the state waste audit and earlier MRF feasibility materials, and the board agreed to continue shaping an ATAX proposal via email and a short work session ahead of the July meeting.
No formal votes were taken on infrastructure projects or on pursuing ATAX funds; members directed staff to assemble information and municipal outreach materials. The board will reconvene the discussion in July.
