As landfill expansions progress around the country, more state legislatures are debating bills that would modify the rules by which landfills must operate. Over the past several weeks, some of those bills have reached new milestones, including one in Washington that became a law that allows the state’s Department of Ecology to approve or deny landfill permits.
Below is a selection of bills in other states that have seen action.
Maine
Maine legislators have introduced a series of bills tightening regulations for landfills, several of which could impact the state-owned but Casella Waste Systems-operated Juniper Ridge Landfill. The landfill is set to reach capacity by 2028 and debate over expanding it is ongoing.
One bill, LD 1349, would require the Juniper Ridge Landfill operating contract to be approved by the state legislature. Proponents say it would provide an added check to ensure Casella complies with Maine regulations, the Maine Morning Star reported. The Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources voted not to recommend the bill on May 7.
A separate bill, LD 1782, also includes several provisions targeted at Juniper Ridge. The bill would raise the base host fee for landfill operators to $5 per ton of accepted waste, indexed to inflation. The city of Old Town and Indian Island, which host Juniper Ridge, would also be entitled to free disposal of municipal solid waste at the facility.
The bill would also raise surcharges on municipalities sending waste to the Juniper Ridge Landfill that are not "making reasonable efforts to meet the State's recycling goals." The joint committee voted to recommend the bill on May 14.
Finally, LD 1604 would require the state’s Department of Environmental Protection to set a limit on PFAS levels in landfill leachate. Leachate would then have to be treated to ensure it reaches those levels before being discharged starting June 1, 2026. The bill also has a quarterly testing requirement for landfills that treat leachate for PFAS to ensure their systems are in compliance.
A committee approved and reported out the bill on May 20. Maine’s legislature is in a special session that is set to adjourn on June 18.
Ohio
Ohio Senate Bill 147 would allow local health districts to set C&D waste tipping fees. It was introduced by Sen. Bill Reineke, whose district includes Win Waste Innovations' Fostoria landfill. The bill passed the state's senate unanimously on April 9 and has since gone through three hearings in the House Community Revitalization committee.
Win Waste opposes the bill, a version of which was introduced in the previous general assembly. In written testimony, NWRA's Ohio chapter said that the state's existing C&D disposal fees were higher than neighboring Indiana and Michigan.
New Hampshire
Meanwhile in New Hampshire, a bill that would set new reporting requirements around landfill leachate appears to have hit a speed bump. House Bill 566, which passed the state's house, would require landfills to submit a leachate management plan that addresses the material's transportation and treatment to the Department of Environmental Services in order to receive approval to operate.
The bill was filed after repeated leachate violations at Casella Waste Systems' Bethlehem landfill became public, though it would not affect that facility, the New Hampshire Bulletin reported.
Mike Wimsatt, director of the state's waste management division, testified that the bill would strengthen enforcement and oversight powers by making landfill owners submit their leachate plans proactively. But the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee voted not to advance the bill to the floor, and its fate is now uncertain.
Permitting and expansion news
- Republic Services seeks an air quality permit renewal for the Coffin Butte Landfill in Oregon, which would increase limits for some pollutants, such as particulate matter, while decreasing others. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality seeks public comment on the permit through June 6. (Statesman Journal)
- Wayne Disposal, owned by Republic Services, seeks to vertically expand its hazardous waste landfill in Van Buren Township, Michigan. The proposal would expand capacity by 23%. The landfill has drawn criticism for accepting toxic waste from a 2023 train derailment in Ohio. (Detroit Free Press)
- Plans for a proposed landfill near Mobile, Alabama, will not move forward after the applicant, Jeremy Hunt, withdrew the application. Residents opposed the landfill, and the county solid waste authority had previously recommended the county commission not approve the project. (Fox 10)
- The Montana Department of Environmental Quality seeks public comments on the proposed expansion of the Flathead County landfill near Kalispell through June 15. The expansion would add 81 years to the landfill’s lifespan. (Montana Right Now)
