Agenda - Council - 09/13/1982 - Special

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I I I I I I I I 18 The need for the additional public services would depend on the size and loca- tion of the landfill. Most of the additional services would be required during · operation of the landfill. The only services required after closure of the landfill would be periodic routine .site inspections to determine whether or not the cover has eroded or cracked, vegetation has taken hold, surface water is being adequately drained and leachate has escaped. However, the burden created when closed sanitary landfill sites become the responsibility of the host community may be considerable. Although the site may be replanted with vegetation, the host community will have to deal with the potential for long-term impacts, particularly groundwater contamination or methane explosions. One of the most demanding public service burdens for a community would be for increased road repair. The extent of repairs required would depend on how much additional traffic would travel on routes going to facility sites. Another potential and very costly service the community may need to provide is exten- sion of water supply mains. A public water supply may have to be extended to homeowners whose private wells are contaminated. The increased burden on local governments to provide certain municipal services can be substantially reduced by requiring the operator of the waste facility to either pay directly for the service or provide the service itself. Require- ments can be placed on the facility operators to provide their own litter maintenance programs. Specific user fees can be assessed against the facility by the host community to pay for other needed public services {such as water, sewers or traffic controls~. The increased wear and tear on roads can be partially offset by upgrading roads, enforcing weight limits and increasing maintenance. The local community need not be solely responsible for inspection and adverse impacts of a site once it has closed. Fiscal and legal responsibility can be shared by the owner/operator, the state, the Metropolitan Council and the county. Before a site receives an operating permit, the financial soundness of the owner should be investigated. Liability insurance or some other long-term care provisions can be required of the site's owner/operator. Where needed, legis- lation providing for strict liability can be enacted. With federal law placing a 30-year limit on postclosure care for hazardous wste disposal facilities, the state can assume liability after the 30-year period. Postclosure requirements and the future use of the site can be designated in the permit and be a part of the local community's comprehensive plan. The measures that could be taken to reduce the local unit of government's burden are really compensatory. They are discussed later in this report. USE OF PUBLIC LANDS Public lands may be selected as locations for landfills. In such cases, a land- fill may conflict with concurrent land uses. The term "public lands" refers to any publicly owned area, such as a regional park, regional park reserve, Uni- versity of Minnesota property, or other state, county or municipally owned property. Public lands are used for many purposes. Regional parks may provide recreational facilities for swimming, picnicking, boating, fishing, camping and