Dive Brief:
- The Friends of Lackawanna, a resident-led group opposed to the Keystone Sanitary Landfill expansion plan in Pennsylvania, lost the first part of its fight in front of a local zoning board last fall. Now, the Lackawanna County Court will take on their appeal. First arguments are scheduled for June 10.
- Keystone is seeking to expand from 335 to 435 acres. The landfill originally proposed a 48-year expansion, topping out at 475 feet high — technically higher than permitted. It has since changed the proposal to 44.6 years and an expanded height under the allowable limits.
- Attorneys for the landfill have said that the case brought by residents is weak, in part because they don't have any expert witnesses. The landfill has filed a motion to dismiss the Friends of Lackawanna's appeal.
Dive Insight:
Keystone is one of the largest landfills in Pennsylvania and has been estimated to received more than 7,000 tons of waste per day — including a large portion from out-of-state. The landfill company says its expansion could add $865 million to the local economy. Residents have raised many questions about environmental effects.
While scares of a potential leachate leak at the landfill were later found to be unsubstantiated, state officials are looking into the site's emissions. The Department of Environmental Protection began a three-month air sampling study in March to gather data on what chemicals residents may be exposed to from the landfill. A report will be made publicly available and residents will have 30 days to submit comments.
As a number of landfills pursue expansion plans across the country, tension with local residents has become common. Recent examples include residents in Massachusetts voicing concerns about water contamination at a landfill where Casella is seeking expansion approval. Strong opposition from residents over a plan to bring more waste to the Seneca Meadows, NY landfill — which would have required expansion — was even an alleged factor in Progressive Waste Solutions backing out of a major export deal with New York City this month.
