No landfills near groundwater

Rep. Julie Bunn (DFL-Lake Elmo) lives in a community that has been fighting hard to clean up a landfill that has been leeching industrial chemicals into its drinking water supply; if she has her way, other communities won’t have to struggle with the same problem in the future.

Bunn sponsors HF3997, which would require future landfills to be sited in locations where they are least likely to contaminate groundwater supplies. Under its provisions, anyone applying for a new landfill permit would be required to have the proposed site tested first to see whether contaminants could potentially infiltrate underground aquifers.

The House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division held an informational hearing on the bill March 18, but took no action. A companion, SF3703, sponsored by Sen. Kathy Saltzman (DFL-Woodbury), awaits action by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

“This bill raises the question of whether future landfills in our state should be allowed to be sited on areas that are known to be geologically highly sensitive to groundwater contamination,” Bunn said. “It’s about drinking water, and future drinking water supplies in our state.”

While siting landfills in geologically safe locations might sound like a no-brainer, opponents say the bill contains hidden costs. For example, Xcel Energy has plans to site a new landfill in Bunn’s district to dispose of fly ash from its coal power plant in Oak Park Heights. Xcel officials say that because of the unique nature of the waste, it has to be transported and dumped no further than 10 miles from the plant or it becomes difficult to manage.

Roger Clark, manager of environmental services with Xcel, said Bunn’s bill would add millions of dollars of costs to the company’s customers “with no appreciable environmental benefit.” He said the company plans to use a special liner at the proposed landfill facility that would prevent any groundwater contamination.

Bunn countered that such liners have not been proven to be effective, and do not provide long-term solutions.