Baltimore County's Days Cove landfill set to close by 2033
The State Department of Natural Resources says the Days Cove Rubble landfill in Baltimore County is set to close by 2033.
The landfill agreed to a new lease with the state, under which the landfill would close and develop the area into a park. The state says negotiations on a new lease for the property are underway with the intent to close.
The Department of Natural Resources says it is committed to capping the landfill in eight years or less, and the land would then be available for public use.
This new lease comes after many residents in Baltimore County spoke out against the landfill's request to increase its discharge of what neighbors call trash juice into the Gunpowder River.
The state says the lease for the property is up in a new agreement, the Natural Resources Department says it will continue to negotiate the lease terms, and it is committed to closing the landfill by 2033. The new lease would not allow another lease to be renewed there.
"The Days Cove rubble fill lease was withdrawn at the Board of Public Works to allow the Department of Natural Resources to continue negotiations with the facility's operator to address identified community concerns," Maryland's Department of Natural Resources stated. "DNR remains committed to closing and capping the rubble fill in eight years or less, as the current proposed lease would do. The draft lease includes specific language that would not enable it to be renewed as it had been under previous administrations. We want to make sure the lease provides a seamless transition of the property into public use."
Maryland's Department of Natural Resources added, "The rubble fill will continue to operate under the terms of the previous lease while the negotiations continue."
Landfill applied for a permit
Earlier this year, the Days Cove Rubble Landfill applied for a permit to increase the discharge of treated leachate into the Gunpowder River, making many neighbors in Baltimore County upset.
The state says the landfill has withdrawn its request to increase what neighbors call "trash juice discharge."
The permit, though, remains under review with a decision expected next year with additional monitoring and evaluation requirements, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).
"Days Cove has withdrawn its request to increase the discharge volume to 25,000 gallons, but the discharge permit application remains under review," the MDE stated. "A final decision is expected after the new year, following evaluation and a formal response to hundreds of public comments. The discharge is regulated under a state permit with protective limits, and the facility is currently in compliance. There is no evidence that the discharge is harming aquatic life or interfering with recreational use of the river. The updated permit will include additional monitoring and evaluation requirements."
The MDE added, "The state cannot require a facility to eliminate discharge without a legal or technical justification. Discharge to surface waters is an authorized option, and no applicable water quality standards support a complete prohibition."
Neighbors oppose the permit
Neighbors strongly oppose the permit and spoke out at a meeting earlier this year.
"Why would you even consider letting a permit be applied for when they have violated the permit, they have 20 times? Let's be clear, if you oppose this permit, put your hand in the air right now," a neighbor said at a public hearing earlier this fall.
Meanwhile, the landfill will continue operating under its current lease until another is signed.
The lease and closing date still need to be approved by the state board of public works. The next meeting is scheduled in January.
According to The Baltimore Banner, the previous lease lasted 10 years, and the state collected around $20 million in lease payments in the last three decades.