New Springfield landfill seeks approval to nearly double size to 109.6 acres

By Denise Dick

The expansion would enable Mahoning Landfill to operate 40 more years.

NEW SPRINGFIELD — An East Garfield Road landfill wants to nearly double its size, which would allow it to continue operating for about 40 years.

Mahoning Landfill, operated by Waste Management, submitted an application for a permit to install to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The company is requesting a vertical and lateral expansion of its municipal solid waste landfill.

“There are 58 acres now, and they’re requesting to expand to 109.6 acres so it would almost double,” said John Schmidt, an OEPA spokesman.

Jerry Ross, the landfill’s senior district manager, said the facility is running out of space.

The landfill has been in the township for decades. Waste Management has owned the municipal solid waste facility since acquiring it in 2002. It’s one of 273 active landfills operated by the Houston-based company and one of nine in Ohio.

Without the expansion, Ross estimates that the facility could operate for about seven more years. If the expansion is approved, the facility could operate for about 40 more years, he said.

The application was submitted to OEPA in April and a meeting to explain it to members of the public was conducted that same month.

Helen Wagner of Unity Road was among the residents who attended to voice concerns. She’s lived in her home for 32 years and can see the landfill from her front porch.

She opposes the landfill expansion, citing the odor and the heavy truck traffic.

“I don’t know what we would do if we didn’t have air conditioning,” Wagner said. “But in the summer time, you want to open your window sometimes. You want fresh air. You don’t get fresh air.”

The proximity of the landfill also makes it difficult to sell your property, she said.

“Nobody will buy it,” Wagner said.

That’s one of the issues township trustees are trying to address in an agreement between the township and the landfill, said Robert Orr, trustees chairman.

Ross said the property value guarantee was suggested by the landfill.

“There have been studies that have shown — and it’s our belief — that property values are not affected by a landfill,” Ross said.

A draft of a proposed agreement covers owners located both contiguous to and/or across the street from the landfill who sell their property during the seven-year period after the agreement’s effective date.

If the sale price is less than the guaranteed price, the landfill will reimburse the owners for the difference. It defines guaranteed price as the average of two professional appraisals — one appraiser selected by the owner, the other by the facility — adjusted annually to reflect the increase or decrease in the fair market value.

Orr said the township also is negotiating a host agreement along with Mahoning County and the landfill to pay fees to the township that the township will use for infrastructure improvements.

Ross said the agreement has been in negotiations for several years although progress has been made during the last year.

The landfill’s application is in the early stages of a multi-step process that can take years. “It can take quite awhile to review,” Schmidt said, referring to geological and engineering issues that must be considered.

denise_dick@vindy.com

Ohio EPA | Review process

Waste Management, which operates the Mahoning Landfill on East Garfield Road, New Springfield, has requested a permit to install that would enable it to expand from 58 acres to 109.6 acres. The review and hearing process:

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency receives the application.

Applicant conducts public meeting to provide information and respond to citizen comments.

OEPA reviews the application to ensure it’s complete and meets requirements. If the agency finds deficiencies in the application, it sends a letter to the applicant detailing with those deficiencies and may request additional information.

OEPA then schedules a public information session to discuss its review of the application.

If the application meets requirements, the agency issues a draft permit to install and schedules a public hearing to gather comments about the proposed project. There is also a minimum 30-day comment period.

At the conclusion of the comment period, OEPA prepares written responses to the comments and mails them to those who commented.

OEPA makes a recommendation which, along with the comments submitted, is reviewed by the director who issues a final permit or requests additional information.

If the application doesn’t meet requirements, the agency issues a proposed denial and the application is held for 30 days to allow the parties the opportunity to request a hearing.

Source: Ohio EPA Fact Sheet