Latest news with #ScottCave
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington bill would fine noncompliant landfills; Waste Connections faces lawsuit
This story was originally published on Waste Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Waste Dive newsletter. A Washington bill that could add a new level of approval to landfill permits and give local authorities the ability to enforce fines for noncompliance has reached the governor's desk. If approved, it would increase scrutiny of facilities that community groups say is overdue. The bill would apply to any permits issued after Aug. 1, 2027, and would require the Department of Ecology to give the final approval of any landfill permit. The department would have the ability to deny or require amendments to such permits, which a local health department could opt to appeal. Either the Department of Ecology or local health departments could also issue a daily fine up to $5,000 for the first two weeks a landfill is in non-compliance with its permit, which can increase to up to $10,000 per day after that time period. Finally, the bill would require local health departments to submit lists of landfill violations to the Department of Ecology every five years, beginning in 2026. The state legislature sent HB 1154 to Gov. Bob Ferguson on April 23. The governor has 20 days after that date to sign the bill into law. His office did not respond to a request for comment. HB 1154 earned support from legislators amid ongoing landfill issues, including two fires in Yakima County. The bill has been supported by groups like Friends of Rocky Top, a community organization that has criticized management of the Anderson Landfill in Yakima that was acquired by DTG Recycle in 2019. The company, itself bought by Macquarie Asset Management in 2022, had to close the facility for more than a year and reopened it in December. Macquarie did not respond to a request for comment. Scott Cave, a lobbyist who works with Friends of Rocky Top and supports the bill, said the existing system to regulate landfills doesn't work. Local health departments are typically tasked with approving permits and enforcing compliance, but they lack the resources to do so effectively, he said. 'There was no tool in the tool shed for local governments to say, 'Hey, bring this into compliance,'" Cave said. He said the bill, if signed, could change that. A lawsuit seeking to halt expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill in Pennsylvania can proceed, Northampton County Judge Abraham Kassis ruled on April 16. The ruling dismisses several motions to dismiss charges brought by Bethlehem Landfill Co., a subsidiary of Waste Connections. The lawsuit was brought against the company by a residents group and is supported by Bethlehem Township and a local hospital campus. Lower Saucon Township, which approved a zoning change to remove a conservation easement and allow the expansion, is also a defendant. The expansion plan would involve 86 acres of new disposal area, Lehigh Valley News reported. In order to facilitate that expansion, the township voted to remove conservation easements across more than 200 acres of forested area on the landfill's northeastern border. That action drew objections from nearby residents, leading to the lawsuit. Waste Connections must now respond to the merits of the lawsuit following the judge's ruling. The landfill has paid more than $2 million in host fee payments and funds 25% of the Lower Saucon Township budget, according to a company website. A local planning commission recommended Cumberland County, Virginia, deny plans for a new landfill serving the central and southwestern portions of the state. The facility proposed by an affiliate of GFL Environmental, would accept up to 1,500 tons per day of MSW, C&D waste and certain industrial wastes, but threatens a historic school, according to community groups. (WRIC) Meanwhile, Hanover County, Virginia's board of supervisors approved the expansion of the Ashcake Road Landfill. The landfill is owned by Leadbetter, and would add about 30 acres of construction waste disposal. (WRIC) A class action lawsuit filed by three residents of Tontitown, Arkansas, alleges that WM's Eco-Vista Landfill has harmed the plaintiffs' daily lives and property values with 'noxious orders.' A lawyer for the residents said they were unsuccessful in seeking relief through government channels. (5 News) Casella has filed a lawsuit against the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services for denying a permit for the proposed Dalton Landfill project. The case centers around the regulator allegedly closing the application because it was incomplete. (Concord Monitor) Recommended Reading Republic to up landfill odor measures in California; Seneca Meadows expansion debate
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Landfill sparks alarm after test reveals toxic chemicals exceed safe limits: 'The plume size is completely unknown'
A landfill in Central Washington that was tested for elevated levels of toxic "forever chemicals" could be contaminating the local water supply and endangering residents. Advocacy group Friends of Rocky Top had previously called out other environmental problems at the Rocky Top Environmental landfill near Yakima, per Northwest Public Broadcasting. The concerns included fire, pungent odors, and airborne litter. Now, it's worried that soil tainted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and dumped at the site has contaminated groundwater. In response to protests by the group, the landfill set up monitoring wells, and testing showed PFAS levels surpassed cleanup levels. One well tested at 21 nanograms per liter; the Environmental Protection Agency considers levels of 4 nanograms per liter too high, per the report. "The amount of the contamination and the plume size is completely unknown," said Scott Cave, a consultant for Friends of Rocky Top, according to Northwest Public Broadcasting. "We have no idea where that plume is gone or if we're even going to find it in neighbors' wells." PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that are found in a variety of consumer products including nonstick cookware and water-repellent clothing along with firefighting foams. Exposure to these substances has been associated with a number of negative health impacts. For instance, one study found that exposure to PFAS through drinking water before birth could lead to an increased risk of childhood cancers. Another paper tied these chemicals to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. Meanwhile, these chemicals are all around us. For instance, one study found that over 20% of Americans may be exposed to detectable levels of PFAS in their tap water, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says most Americans have been exposed to PFAS and have it in their blood. In April 2024, the EPA issued its first national and legally enforceable drinking water standard for PFAS, part of the agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap. However, it is unknown how the EPA will move forward with PFAS regulations under the Trump administration. For instance, in February, the administration rescinded a proposed rule that would have set national limits on the discharge of PFAS into waterways. However, some states are taking action to protect residents. For one, Minnesota recently enacted a law that prohibits the willful addition of PFAS to 11 product categories, including cleaners, mattresses, automotive maintenance products, cookware, and other items. The law will expand to ban nearly all uses of PFAS by 2032. You can help reduce your exposure by opting for PFAS-free brands and limiting your purchases of nonstick cookware as well as stain- and water-resistant clothing. What source of air pollution do you worry most about at home? Wildfires Gas stove Fireplace Something else Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
