The permit allows the vast dump in Coventry near the Canadian border to operate for another nine years, until 2028.
But an appeal of a different permit from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources that is also required for the expansion is still pending. Until that’s resolved, the expansion cannot go forward.
Still, the decision appeared to be a victory for Casella Waste Systems, the Rutland-based trash hauler and landfill operator that owns the 1,000-acre Coventry facility and operates it under a subsidiary called New England Waste Services of Vermont.
However, the District 7 Environmental Commission found that air emissions, dust, noise and odors would not be substantially different from current levels under the expansion. The commission also found that the project met water quality standards.
“The Applicant has garnered support from the Town of Coventry and has acquired an array of permits from the Agency of Natural Resources. The result of this process is a well-designed landfill expansion that minimizes potential for impacts to human health and the environment,” the decision stated.
The commission cited concern over potentially toxic chemicals known as PFAS — which come from a range of landfilled consumer products including electronics, nonstick cookware, carpet and food packaging — getting into the drinking water supply.
“Due to the risk to the water quality of Lake Memphremagog — a drinking water supply for thousands of Canadians — caused by discharge of PFAS chemicals into the Lake via the Newport WWTF, the Commission will, by permit condition, prohibit disposal of leachate generated at the Facility, at the Newport WWTF,” the decision stated.
An independent third-party company would be required to do testing on odors under the expansion permit, which noted that there were 62 odor-related complaints between 2010 and January 2019.
Without the expansion permit, the landfill would have likely run out of room by 2023.
“We’re happy to have received the permit, of course, and are reviewing it,” Joseph Fusco, a Casella vice president and media spokesperson, told Seven Days Wednesday in an email. “At this point, not having completely reviewed it, we really don’t have any specific comments — other than being happy to have reached this point in the process.”
Opponents of the expansion, who go by the moniker Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity (DUMP), did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
See the permit below:
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We only have one landfill for the entire state and we’re complaining about that one too? We can’t just export all of our problems, import all of our solutions and claim to be clean. Not everything can be recycled or reused and, even with the best attempts to reduce usage, there will still be a substantial amount of landfill content coming into a single facility in an entire state.
Try to contain discharge into the nearby lake? Yes. Complain about Coventry or argue for its closure? No. Trucking it out of state somewhere else would then be the only fix and then the complaints would start about the cost or the air pollution from the diesel or the impact on the roads or something else.
I’m waiting for Vermont to start enacting actual solutions for the problems within its borders.
When was the last time testing was done on ALL of the water sources around the Coventry Landfill;
North, South & downstream? Is this information available?
If 3 Million can be spent on eco environmental pilot program for buses, because we all care about the environment……….when and how often is testing being performed on the water sources?
Equally as important; the priority of lead testing in Schools.
Act 250 needs term limits, as does the Landfill.
One should read the findings of fact of the permit. On on hand they state Vermont has stricter standards when it comes to PFAS/PFOAS than the Federal Government and Canada but then penalize the City of Newport’s WWTF plant by not allowing Casella to bring leach-ate for treatment. However they allow it to be treated in other WWTF’s in Vermont who have to meet the same standards as the City of Newport. Their findings of fact do not support condition #18 of the permit.
Now Newport utility users will see a $100 to $200 increase in their wastewater bills while Montpelier and others could see additional revenue from additional treatment. To some that may not seem like much of an increase but when you are struggling it is a lot of money. I have said from day one our WWFT meets or exceeds State and Federal standards and the tests prove it. Only politics from our neighbors to the north played into the equation. One should look to see what others municipalities do over the border on Lake Memphremagog. Very hypocritical when they chastise Newport.
It is clearly apparent science and facts from two state agencies did not factor in their decision making process but politics did. A classic case of discrimination against Newport vs. Montpelier and others. I am pleased at least one member of the commission recognized this and was against penalizing Newport’s WWTF when it came to treating leach-ate. As Mayor of Newport this makes me loose faith in our Act 250 process where it should be based upon science and facts and not politics.
I have a good idea. Burlington has a perfect place to have a private landfill right on Church Street. If Burlington could get rid of its own trash for 10 years, the Coventry landfill, expected to be filled by 2031, might not be filled until 2050.
Once again the NEK gets dumped on.
Once again the state proves that the NEK is the place in Vermont that they are willing to write off as the Love Canal of Vermont.
Time for civil disobedience.
Time to block the Airport road with humans chained to trash trucks.
Time to revive the Monkey Wrench Gang..