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<br /> Comprehensive Review of <br /> S olid W aste Collection and Disposal Options <br /> <br /> <br />v2.1 145 10/22/12 <br />11.0 DISPOSAL OPTION – SITE/ CONSTRUCT A NEW <br />LANDFILL <br />11.1 EVALUATE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TOWN -ONLY OR <br />REGIONAL LANDFILL <br />SCS evaluated the feasibility of the Town developing a new municipal solid waste landfill. The <br />analysis provides the following: <br /> Summary of the challenges and obstacles to siting a new landfill in the Town (e.g., <br />economics, social justice, siting, permitting criteria, etc.). <br /> Summary of the benefits of siting and operating a Town-owned landfill in the region, <br />either on its own or in conjunction with other regional municipal partners. <br /> An order of magnitude cost estimate for the permitting, capital construction, <br />operation, maintenance, closure, and post-closure care for a Town-only or regional <br />landfill for a 30-year period in order to compare it with other solid waste management <br />options. <br />The landfill evaluation presented below is general in nature and compliments previously <br />identified solid waste management options for the Town. <br />11.1.1 Landfill Siting Challenges <br />Siting a new landfill would be difficult regardless of whether it was a Town-only or regional <br />landfill. Landfill siting efforts require extensive environmental, socio-economic, and <br />transportation studies, and public and regulatory involvement. The process can take 5 to 10 <br />years to complete. For example, the State’s Solid Waste Management Act of 2007 (S1492) <br />significantly changed the state’s solid waste laws, and put in place limits on the size of new <br />landfills, provided additional protections for scenic rivers, fisheries, sensitive wetlands, and <br />endangered species, and included provisions for protecting minority communities from the <br />negative impacts of solid waste disposal sites. The law also provided additional setbacks <br />restricting the development of landfills within 2 miles of state parks and 5 miles from national <br />wildlife refuges. <br />The Town and Orange County have extensive experience with the current County-owned and <br />operated Orange County Landfill, located at 1514 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, NC. The MSW <br />landfill unit of the Orange County Landfill is scheduled to be closed at the end of June 2013 <br />before it reaches its ultimate disposal capacity. We understand the decision to close the Orange <br />County Landfill was in part due to local community concerns and social justice issues (Rogers- <br />Eubank Community). <br />The decision to close the MSW landfill unit before it reaches its ultimate capacity indicates that <br />siting a new landfill within the Town limits would be contentious and difficult, and would <br />require strong political leadership and resolve to be successful. In addition, the availability of