10-07-2025
Final agreement reached between state and St. Clair County over Smiths Creek Landfill
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has entered into a final agreement with Smiths Creek Landfill following a period of public comment.
A draft agreement was between the state and the landfill after the Smiths Creek Landfill was accused of multiple violations. Michigan's Air Quality Division sent seven violation notices to St. Clair County regarding the landfill between October 2023 and July 2024.
Kimball Township residents have long complained of the smell coming from the landfill. The county was also cited for failure to comply with multiple state and federal rules required as part of its renewable operating permit.
Since the first violation notice was issued in October 2023, Smiths Creek Landfill has spent $2.3 million on upgrades to the landfill in an attempt to resolve the odor issue, according to the finalized administrative consent order.
More: In-person public meeting on Smiths Creek Landfill issues held May 22
More news: Michigan AG settles lawsuit with Domtar over PFAS contamination in St. Clair County
Under the consent order, St. Clair County will be able to enter a Supplemental Environmental Project. Under this plan, St. Clair County will pay $37,000 of the $145,000 penalty fee to the state while the remaining $108,000 to be used on the project. Funds for the payment and the environmental project will be paid from the St. Clair County's Sanitary Landfill Fund.
The change to the plan came after the department took in public comments on the draft administrative consent order between April 22 and June 6, including an in-person and virtual public meeting. According to the summary, some of the comments requested fines against Smiths Creek Landfill be used to help the community.
The summary states that the Supplemental Environmental Project can only be entered voluntarily by the county. If St. Clair County doesn't develop a project to use the $108,000 locally within a year, it will be required to pay that amount to the state.
The state will also post updates on Smiths Creek Landing and its compliance with the administrative consent order online at Documents related to the agreement are also available online at
Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Smiths Creek Landfill violations: Michigan Kimball Township landfill plan
