Agenda - Council - 05/31/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES The process of selecting a landfill site or resource recovery facility and obtaining a permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is a lengthy one. The local community should be involved during the per- mitting process to express its concerns about any of the pollution con- trol techniques. The local units of government should obtain copies of all proposed and approved permits issued by the state or metropolitan agencies. In addition, state and metropolitan agencies should work with the local units of government to ensure their participation in the permitting process. To ensure local concerns are met, a local oversight committee should be established by the municipality or township. The oversight committee would have the responsibility, of maintaining communication between the permitting agencies, the waste facility owner and operator, and the municipality or township. The oversight committee would provide a way to check on the operation of the waste facility and to resolve disputes or problems promptly. An environmental impact statement (EIS) undoubtedly will be prepared on all landfills and most major regional resource recovery facilities. The local oversight committee should be established before the EIS begins and serve as the community's advisor to its preparation Once the EIS is completed, the committee could assist the local unit ~f government in preparing an ordinance to handle those prob- lems identified in the EIS not handled by state or county regulations. The local ordinance would be reviewed as part of the Council's permit review for the waste facility. The oversight committee would continue existence after the EISis completed to monitor the operation of the landfill and after closure. This section describes the possible environmental, social and economic impacts of solid waste disposal facilities and how to deal with them. The environmental impacts of waste facilities are known but the socio- economic impacts are not as easily determined or measurable. Many environmental and socioeconomic impacts of waste facilities can be reduced with the proper planning and engineering techniques. The MPCA evaluates all proposed landfills and resource recovery facilities for compliance with state environmental laws. It often requires additional protective measures to ensure the landfill will not adversely affect the environment or public health. The state Waste Management Act does not preclude local enforcement and control of waste facilities. It states: With the approval of the Council, local government units ~ay impose and enforce reasonable conditions respecting the construction, opera- tion, inspection, monitoring and maintenance of the disposal facili- ties. No local government unit shall prevent the establishment or operation of any solid waste facility...except that, with the approval of the Council, the local government unit may impose reason- able conditions respecting the construction, inspection, monitoring and maintenance of a facility.