Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Media Contact: Michael Rafferty, (651) 297-8294 EIS Technical Contact: Kelly Garvey, (651) 296-7796 St. Paul, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) seeks comments on Waste Management Inc.'s proposed expansion of the Burnsville Sanitary Landfill. A public meeting to discuss the proposal and take comments will be held May 31, 2005, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Burnsville City Hall, 100 Civic Center Parkway. The MPCA prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), an extensive environmental review, which includes alternatives and addresses issues associated with ground water, air quality, as well as economic and social impacts for the proposed expansion. Waste Management owns and operates the Burnsville Sanitary Landfill. The landfill occupies 145 acres of a 360-acre parcel owned by Burnsville Sanitary Landfill Inc. (a subsidiary of Waste Management). The landfill receives mixed municipal solid waste and construction and demolition waste from the Twin Cities metro area. The proposed project would enlarge the landfill's size and height. The proposal would expand the landfill by 42.2 acres, and on an 80.6 acre portion, the height of the landfill would increase by 6.5 feet. Together, these changes will provide an additional 6.2 million cubic yards of capacity. In 2004, the MPCA completed a Final Scoping Decision document, which outlines the framework for the EIS. That process directed the EIS to study several issues related to the project, which are specified in the Final Scoping Decision document. Public comments will be restricted to only those issues. Copies of the Draft EIS are available for review at the Burnsville Public Library located at 1101 West Co. Road 42. The document is also available on the MPCA's Web site at hhref="/news/eaw/index.html. To receive a copy of the Draft EIS or for information about the proposed plan, contact Kelly Garvey at (651) 296-7796 or (800) 657-3864. Written comments must be submitted by 4:30 p.m., Monday June 13, 2005, to Kelly Garvey, Project Manager, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Road North, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by e-mail at kelly.garvey@pca.state.mn.us. You can fax to her at (651) 297-2343. A written response will be provided to all comments received during the comment period. The final EIS will be brought before the MPCA Citizens' Board for a decision on its adequacy. For more information about the public meeting, contact Mike Rafferty, MPCA Public Information Officer at (651) 297-8294.