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Residents and experts press Vernon County supervisors for stricter review of proposed landfill expansion
Summary
Multiple public commenters raised geologic and water-quality concerns about a proposed Vernon County landfill expansion and urged the board to prioritize independent review and transparent DNR findings; county staff said an addendum is being submitted to the DNR and a feasibility determination could take roughly 10 months.
Several residents and watershed landowners used the public-comment period at the Vernon County Board of Supervisors meeting to urge stricter review and more transparency around a proposed landfill expansion that commenters said sits over karst geology.
"I'm here to express my concerns about the expansion of the landfill and the impact of that on the water quality, the natural resources and the ecology of the affected area," said resident and landowner Sucheta Connolly. Daniel Chosin of Viroqua told supervisors he wanted them to "do your due diligence" before proceeding, citing competing scientific opinions about site safety.
An extended public comment criticized both financial assumptions and the geology of the site. One commenter warned that "The World Bank... refuses to loan money to build a landfill on Karst," arguing the county should treat geologic risks and potential PFAS contamination as material constraints on expansion. Commenters also called for an objective outside review of the enterprise fund and for clear, public-facing materials explaining where the county stands.
County Administrative Coordinator Cassie told the board that engineering firm SEH was near submission of an addendum to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). "From there, the DNR will make a determination as to whether they have enough information to move forward. There will be a 30 day public comment period during which anyone can request a contested hearing," she said, adding that the "timeline from the date the addendum is submitted to the feasibility determination is approximately 10 months" and that plan-of-operations approval would take at least another three months if the expansion is deemed feasible.
Board members and citizens discussed interim measures. Cassie said the landfill is expected to reach capacity before that schedule completes and staff are exploring waste-diversion options and conversations with neighboring counties and haulers to stretch capacity while state review is underway.
The meeting record shows no formal vote on expansion at this session; several residents asked the board either to pause work until independent reviews are completed or to provide a concise public dashboard explaining the project's status and what the DNR has concluded.
