EPA smart to use leverage with landfill
The Canton Repository
PIKE TWP - The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is in a strong position to negotiate with the Countywide landfill in southern Stark County. It seeks further action to deal with odor and an underground fire that Ohio EPA says is present in the landfill. Countywide operators say there is no fire.
If Countywide cooperates in taking further steps to eliminate problems at the landfill, Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski says he will withdraw his recommendation that the Stark County Board of Health refuse to renew the landfill's operating license. The Board of Health is in no hurry to act on that recommendation.
Ohio EPA's action plan includes cessation of dumping near areas where aluminum dross is believed to be buried. Mixture of this metallic waste and water is believed to be the source of the disputed fire. EPA also calls for an evaluation of landfill safeguards against environmental contamination, to see if those safeguards have been damaged by whatever is going on underground. It calls for other monitoring action and the payment of an unspecified fine.
As long as Countywide sees a chance to avoid being shut down, it is likely to be cooperative. In other words, as long as Countywide can still pull $30 million to $40 million in revenue from the Stark site each year, it is likely to cooperate.
If the Board of Health pulls the license, it probably will be because Ohio EPA and Countywide failed to strike a deal on remedying problems at the landfill. If the license is pulled, Countywide is likely to be less motivated to solve the landfill's problems.
Having set up a legitimate threat to Countywide's business, Ohio EPA is now trying to use it to gain new levels of cooperation from the landfill operators. This is a smart strategy, which we hope will work to the benefit of Stark and Tuscarawas county residents.
PIKE TWP - The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is in a strong position to negotiate with the Countywide landfill in southern Stark County. It seeks further action to deal with odor and an underground fire that Ohio EPA says is present in the landfill. Countywide operators say there is no fire.
If Countywide cooperates in taking further steps to eliminate problems at the landfill, Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski says he will withdraw his recommendation that the Stark County Board of Health refuse to renew the landfill's operating license. The Board of Health is in no hurry to act on that recommendation.
Ohio EPA's action plan includes cessation of dumping near areas where aluminum dross is believed to be buried. Mixture of this metallic waste and water is believed to be the source of the disputed fire. EPA also calls for an evaluation of landfill safeguards against environmental contamination, to see if those safeguards have been damaged by whatever is going on underground. It calls for other monitoring action and the payment of an unspecified fine.
As long as Countywide sees a chance to avoid being shut down, it is likely to be cooperative. In other words, as long as Countywide can still pull $30 million to $40 million in revenue from the Stark site each year, it is likely to cooperate.
If the Board of Health pulls the license, it probably will be because Ohio EPA and Countywide failed to strike a deal on remedying problems at the landfill. If the license is pulled, Countywide is likely to be less motivated to solve the landfill's problems.
Having set up a legitimate threat to Countywide's business, Ohio EPA is now trying to use it to gain new levels of cooperation from the landfill operators. This is a smart strategy, which we hope will work to the benefit of Stark and Tuscarawas county residents.
