Landfill proposals don’t get much bigger than this: 27 million cubic yards, $538 million, and a pile of garbage higher than U.S. Bank Stadium.
Those are among the factors in how to address the futures of a landfill site and a dump site in Burnsville near Interstate 35W and the Minnesota River. Because the two sites date back to an era where there weren’t modern environmental protections, they could pose a threat to area drinking water in the future.
The city is discussing the issue with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Two options currently are under consideration — combining the two sites in a modern landfill with protections on the existing property or moving the landfill and dump off the property to a modern landfill.
The reshuffling of landfills is complicated by the enormous costs, the danger to drinking water, Burnsville’s desire to develop the area, and even the fate of a rock quarry.
“From a practical standpoint, these are interwoven issues,” said Burnsville administrator Melanie Mesko Lee.
The MPCA is seeking public comment on the proposals, will make a decision by the end of this year and expects to begin work in 2021.
‘DIG AND LINE,’ ‘DIG AND HAUL’
The story of the landfills began in the 1960s. The small-scale Freeway Dump operated from 1960 to 1969, and the Freeway Landfill from 1969 to 1990. Together they contained 6 million cubic yards of waste on 172 acres.
For decades the sites have sent pollution down into groundwater, and the greenhouse-gas methane up into the air. Both the dump and the landfill were designated as high-priority Superfund sites.
Recently, the MPCA identified two solutions.
The “dig and line” option would remove the garbage from the landfill, line the site with a plastic barrier, and pile the contents of the dump on top of it. It would seal it up with a liner to capture the methane. It would cost a maximum of $121 million.
The second option has been nicknamed “dig and haul.” It calls for cleaning out the old landfill and dump sites and putting the refuse somewhere else. That option would cost between $165 million and $538 million, depending on where “somewhere else” would be.
One obvious destination for the garbage would be the landfill next door — the 340-acre Waste Management landfill.But that landfill is 96 percent full. It is so full that the operators divert about one-third of the incoming waste, just to save space. The waste is trucked 120 miles to a Waste Management landfill in Lake Mills, Iowa.
“We would prefer to keep it in the metro area,” said company spokeswoman Julie Ketchum.
BURNSVILLE FAVORS ‘DIG AND HAUL’
Waste Management wants to expand, but so far has not been able to jump over bureaucratic hurdles.
In 2019, it applied for a permit to add 17 million cubic yards to the site, which today holds 20.5 million cubic yards.
At that time, it planned to start work on the expansion in January 2020.
Last week, Burnsville officials said they favor the more expensive “dig and haul” option. Clearing out the Freeway sites would free up 174 acres of prime land for development, perfectly situated along 35W.
In fact, administrator Lee said the value of that development should be considered. The $538 million estimate should be offset by the millions of dollars in improved value for the land and its new development.
NEARBY QUARRY TO CLOSE
The problem is urgent, says the MPCA, because a guardian of groundwater will be retiring soon.
The nearby Kraemer Rock Quarry actually protects water quality, said assistant MPCA commissioner Kirk Koudelka.
The quarry is a huge hole in the ground, and water flows into it like bathwater down a drain. That lowers the water table for the area — and keeps it away from the unlined garbage sites.
It also shifts the flow of the underground water, away from the Freeway sites.
But that quarry is expected to close soon. When the pumps go silent, the water will flow in and fill the hole. Water tables will rise to their natural levels — to where the garbage is.
That could result in pollution going into the water that Burnsville now drinks, according to the MPCA.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
For now, the MPCA is only involved in dealing with the two smaller freeway sites. It hopes to get bids on the “dig and haul” and “dig and line” options by the end of the year.
If approved by the Legislature, the work could begin as early as spring 2021.
The MPCA is accepting public comments about until June 12.
To comment, visit Freeway.Landfill.andDump.MPCA@state.mn.us or send mail to MPCA, c/o Pat Hanson, 520 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, 55155.
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