ADEQ Director Overturns Waste Board?s Denial

A proposed expansion to the Waste Management Tontitown Landfill moved forward Nov. 30 when Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Interim Director Richard Weiss approved the certificate of need for expansion.

Weiss overturned a July ruling from the Four-County Solid Waste Board that denied landfill owner and operator Waste Management Inc.’s request for a certificate of need for a 10 million cubic-yard expansion.

According to a letter from Weiss to Steven Parker, director of the Four-County Solid Waste District, Weiss said the board did not base its decision to deny the certificate of need on “adequate, relevant or ‘substantial’ evidence …”

Doug Szenher, public relations supervisor for ADEQ, said WMI can now apply to the ADEQ for an expansion. However, Parker said he expects the Four-County Board will appeal Weiss’ decision to the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission.

A ruling from the APCEC could then be appealed by either party.