Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/01/2012

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Minnesota Poltution Control Agency c -clf 1 -02 Closed Landfill Program Land Use Planning I n 1994, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Landfill Cleanup Act (LCA) which created the Closed Landfill Program (CLP). Under the CLP, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is responsible for the long -term care of 112 closed, state - permitted, municipal solid waste landfills throughout Minnesota. The mission of the CLP is to manage the risk to public health and the environment that is associated with these landfills. This is accomplished by undertaking cleanup actions, long -term operation and maintenance, and monitoring groundwater contamination and landfill gas that exist at most of these sites. In addition, future risk to public health and safety is also mitigated by implementing land -use planning measures that minimize public exposure to landfill hazards and protect the state's response- action equipment. Risks at closed landfills Landfill gas migration and groundwater contamination can be serious issues at some landfills. These problems can pose a threat to the health and safety of those living or occupying land nearby. In addition, chemicals leaching from these landfills can degrade groundwater and surface water resources surrounding these sites. The MPCA addresses the risk to public health and the environment at the closed landfills by implementing and maintaining remediation systems (engineered covers Cleanup /Closed Landfill #1.02 • March 2010 and gas - collection and groundwater - treatment systems) and by monitoring groundwater, surface water, and landfill gas. Proper management and regulation of land use at and near these closed landfills is another important part of assuring long- term protection from the risks posed by them. Managing closed landfills and planning for future land use Future use of property at and around closed landfills needs to be planned carefully and responsibly. Because general authority for land -use planning lies with Minnesota's local government units (LGUs) cities, counties and townships and tribal authorities, the MPCA seeks to partner with the LGUs and tribal governments that have this authority for planning in the vicinity of the closed landfills. For each site, the MPCA is required to develop a Closed Landfill Use Plan (CLUP) in which the MPCA (1) determines the appropriate use for the property at the landfill where the MPCA is implementing environmental response actions; and (2) provides information about property at or near the landfill that may be affected by groundwater and /or surface water contamination and methane gas migration. The CLUP will include thematic maps showing the groundwater contaminant plume as well as groundwater and methane gas Areas of Concern (AOC). The AOC is Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Rd. N., Saint Paul, MN 55155 -4194 • www.pca.state.mn.us 651- 296 -6300 • 800 - 657 -3864 • TTY 651 - 282 -5332 or 800 - 657 -3864 • Available in alternative formats