Dem-Con Landfill, LLC proposes to build a new municipal solid waste landfill at its environmental campus near Shakopee. It plans to convert 2.2 million cubic yards covering an approximately 81-acre fill area of its permitted construction and demolition (C&D) landfill into a new municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill.
Our role
The creation of a new MSW landfill of this size requires the project to go through the environmental impact statement (EIS) process. An EIS is a more extensive process form of environmental review with more detailed information about the project’s potential for significant environmental impacts. The EIS also provides project alternatives and identifies methods to reduce environmental effects. This process begins with the scoping environmental assessment worksheet (SEAW) and draft scoping decision document (DSDD) to inform what is going to be studied in the project’s EIS.
Community meeting
The MPCA will host a public meeting for the community on July 17 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Jackson Town Hall to discuss the proposed municipal solid waste landfill at Dem-Con's environmental campus near Shakopee.
This project will also require a new solid waste permit, which will go on public notice for 30 days after the EIS process is complete in late 2026.
Location
The proposed landfill will be set on land currently being mined for sand and gravel that was intended to be part of Dem-Con's C&D landfill, which the MPCA permitted in February 2023. Including the C&D landfill, the project area encompasses 108 acres in total. South of the new MSW landfill will be the permitted C&D landfill. Just south of the C&D landfill will be the future site of the proposed anaerobic digestor facility, which the MPCA permitted in 2024. Dem-Con's environmental campus is in a mostly industrial and commercial area less than a mile from the Minnesota River.
Project information
The new MSW landfill will accept waste from the Twin Cities metro area and Nicollet, Le Sueur, and Sibley counties. The Twin Cities generates nearly 3.5 million tons of garbage annually and continues to send more waste to landfills each year. This project is part of the solution to expand four area landfills to help address the growing problem and ensure continued safe and proper management of waste materials.
In addition to the landfill fill area, Dem-Con plans to construct a 17.2-acre slope liner where the landfill transitions from C&D debris to MSW. Perimeter setback areas will be included with ancillary features connected to the leachate collection system, landfill gas control system, and groundwater monitoring wells.
The SEAW looks at items in the EAW to determine the scope of the environmental impact statement (EIS). Some key findings include:
- The SEAW identified permits, contamination/hazardous materials/wastes, and fish, wildlife, plant communities and sensitive ecological areas as important, but information provided in the SEAW was determined to be adequate for use in the EIS with only minor edits or updates.
- The SEAW identified water resources, air quality assessment, greenhouse gas assessment, and traffic impact study, as potentially significant issues. Information beyond what is in the SEAW will be included in the EIS.
- The DSDD provides a summary of the items to be reviewed in the EIS.
Next steps
The public is encouraged to comment on the SEAW and DSDD. Both are open for public comment for 30 days, starting Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
The MPCA will host a public meeting for community members on Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Jackson Town Hall (1091 130th St. W in Shakopee) to discuss the project in detail. There will be an open house and brief presentation on the SEAW and DSDD.
After the public comment period ends, the agency will review all comments and create a final scoping decision document of items that will be reviewed as part of the EIS. As the project progresses through the EIS process, there will be multiple opportunities for public comment.
Dem-Con plans to develop the new proposed landfill in phases following a typical landfill sequence with permitting followed by the construction, filling, and capping of individual cells. Construction activity will occur throughout the site's life as new cells become active or as completed cells are capped. Dem-Con proposes to begin construction as early as 2026-2027 and anticipates a 35- to 40-year lifespan for the new landfill.