Hearing addresses landfill expansion plan
Extra 90 acres might last 15 to 38 years
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality appears ready to approve a major expansion of the Flathead County landfill, pending the outcome of a public hearing on Thursday.
Work on the expansion application started about three years ago. If approved, it would allow a second landfill hill to be built along U.S. 93 immediately south of the existing hill.
This project is separate from the "lateral" expansion that's currently extending the landfill to the west and north.
The state completed its environmental assessment of the proposal last week.
Thursday's hearing, one of the last steps in the licensing process, gives the public an opportunity to learn more about the project and to comment on the application.
The hearing takes place in the Earl Bennett Building, 1035 First Ave. W. in Kalispell, from 7-9 p.m.
The county has about 4.9 million cubic yards of garbage capacity remaining before the existing landfill is completely full. This includes the 19-acre lateral expansion area. According to the environmental assessment, that capacity should last for 14 to 19 years.
The 90-acre expansion area would provide room for another 16.9 million cubic yards of garbage, extending the landfill's life by an estimated 15 to 38 years, depending on future growth rates.
This is substantially less than the 60 to 80 years of capacity it was initially expected to provide.
"When we started this process, we thought we were sitting on 80 to 100 years of capacity," including the existing dump, landfill director Dave Prunty said.
However, more than 111,000 tons of garbage came in last year - a 15.7 percent increase over 2003 - and loads are up another 10 percent so far this year.
Consequently, the amount of garbage coming in when the new landfill opens will be much higher than expected. The effects of compounding on this higher amount - even using more realistic long-term annual increases of 2 to 8 percent - tremendously reduced the estimated life span of the expansion area, Prunty said.
The environmental assessment indicates that the new dump would be built on property that the landfill already owns, and would be operated in much the same way. The garbage would be placed in "cells" on top of thick, plastic liners, with systems in place to control methane gas production and water infiltration. Groundwater monitoring wells also would be installed.
The environmental document said the expansion is expected to have minimal impacts on water quality, air quality or other factors.
The new hill would be built in three phases, with the first phase being adjacent to U.S. 93.
Prunty said the closest the garbage would come to the highway is about 400 feet.
"We've already planted a three-tree shelter belt along the highway," he said. "Hopefully over time, they'll grow to 30 to 50 feet tall. As the landfill comes up in height, people will see a soil slope take shape. It will be covered in an organic material to get grass to grow within one or two years.
"In the short term, people will see the landfill grow. But as we proceed forward, they'll be looking at a grassy berm that will block the view of the refuse operation from the highway."
Following Thursday's public hearing, there will be a 30-day written comment period.
Barring any adverse public comment on potential problems, the environmental assessment indicates that the state "proposes to approve and license the proposed expansion" after the comment period ends.
A copy of the environmental assessment is available on the state Web site at www.deq.state.mt.us/ea/WasteMgt.asp
Written comments on the proposal can be submitted to the Waste and Underground Tank Management Bureau, Solid Waste Program, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901, or via e-mail to wutbcomments@mt.gov
Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at bspence@dailyinterlake.com