DIXIE EDINGTON
Banner-News
Discussion at the Southwest Arkansas Regional Solid Waste Management District Board meeting Friday centered around a request by Waste Disposal Innovations, LLC of El Dorado to make a presentation on a proposed new landfill in Union County.
Blake Harrell, solid waste manager with Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District in Magnolia, explained that in March WDI had filed a notice of intent for a certificate of need for a new landfill. The board was required to respond within 14 days.
“In our board rules and procedures it says we cannot accept or even consider a notice of intent if the existing landfill serving the area has more than 25 years of remaining life,” Harrell said. “That’s when we inquired of WCA (Waste Corporation of Arkansas) what their remaining life was. I have a letter here from WCA indicating they had more than the 25 years, so we turned around and sent a letter to Waste Disposal Innovations and said we cannot accept this at this time. WDI disagreed with the remaining life WCA has, so they returned a response asking that we reconsider their notice of intent.”
Mike Howell, district manager with Waste Corporation of Arkansas (WCA), said “We came to the board for a permit modification in 2012. With that modification that would put us at 23 years. That was three years ago, that’s 20 years.”
In a letter to the District Board dated March 31, Howell stated that WCA currently had airspace available through 2033. He stated that WCA recently withdrew a permit modification that would have extended the landfill’s life through 2041. This permit was withdrawn, he explained, because in 2014 WCA had purchased approximately 50 acres in Union County “for the purpose of expansion of our disposal facility. WCA will now revise the permit modification to include the newly purchased property which we anticipate will extend the life of the landfill by an additional 46 years.”
In his letter, Howell said WCA is currently working on preparation of a re-submittal to the state for a major modification.
Robert M. Baldwin, an attorney from Monroe, La., stated that he was one of the owners of WDI and had filed a notice of intent on behalf of the firm. He maintained that at this point, WCA has only 8.4 years left at its landfill. “They presently do not have any other permitted life of that landfill,” he said.
Baldwin said that WDI’s request was for a new Class 1, 3-C, and 4 landfill in Union County, which would serve the six counties in the Southwest District.
The Southwest District includes Columbia, Union, Ouachita, Calhoun, Dallas, and Miller Counties. Columbia County Judge Larry Atkinson serves as chairman of the District Board.
Baldwin said he was asking for a permit “which would allow us to take industrial waste which WCA does not have. All we’re asking is we be put back on your regular schedule to allow us to submit our application, and have a hearing like we’re supposed to on an application like this. Then you can decide whether there’s a need for what we’re asking for. At that time we’ll bring you a presentation of everything we plan to do.”
Baldwin added that the proposed new landfill would take other waste as well. “We definitely would be competing with WCA, no doubt about that for municipal waste. On the Class C-3 for industrial waste, there’s nothing in this district that can be done with that waste. That was what the genesis of this whole project was.”
Howell replied that WCA’s landfill could not take hazardous municipal waste, but pointed out “we could take industiral waste. Class I landfills take industrial waste.”
After more discussion, Atkinson noted that WCA had applied and “will probably get permitted for the additional life.”
“There will be a certificate of need forthcoming,” Howell said.
Baldwin told the board, “If you want to deny the certificate of need I understand that. We just need to get it back in the process because at present they do not have but 8.4 years. We need to run the process so we can decide what we’re going to do and give us an opportunity to bring to you the whole economic package of what we plan to do for this district.”
Union County Judge Mike Loftin said, “We have a contract with WCA. They have spent a substantial amount of money to buy this additional 50 acres to extend the life of that landfill and I feel like we owe it to them to give them the opportunity.”
Baldwin said the proposed landfill probably would not be completed until 2017. “Our main focus at this point is not municipal solid waste - but on the other hand we will be taking municipal solid waste,” he said. “I see your point about what they’ve got committed but we’ve got some stuff committed here too. Again I just want you to hear our whole thing. Let us have our hearing and then make your decision.”
“There are industries out there close to where this facility will be that are going to be bringing stuff to us that presently does not go to WCA,” he added.
El Dorado Mayor Frank Hash commented, “We just need to be able to say we’re following our guidelines and give these folks due rights. Whatever chances they’re taking in the future is theirs.”
“What happens if this group tells you no,” asked Magnolia Mayor Parnell Vann. “What’s your next step?”
Baldwin said they would have to appeal.
Atkinson explained that Baldwin’s group could “go straight on to the ADEQ (Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality) and bypass us. They have that right. Whether they’ll permit them after they go through this step, there’s questions.”
Atkinson then suggested to board members they allow Baldwin’s group to present their program and then the board could review it.
Vann made a motion, which was seconded and approved unanimously.
Baldwin will get in touch with Harrell to set up a time for the presentation.
In other business, board members discussed recycling grants. Columbia County is to receive $27,000 on behalf of Abilities Unlimited, to be used for a commercial shredder.