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October 25, 2004
Four News Items
Lots is going on around the State of Texas on trash issues!
1. The newest draft of the rules for Site Operating Plans is available on the TCEQ website. Click here. The TCEQ Commissioners will vote to publish these rules for public comment on Wednesday November 10. If folks can attend in Austin, that would be good.
2. The new group Mount Hutto Aware Citizens in Williamson County turned out a large number of people to oppose their County and Waste Management's plans to get a quick under-the-radar approval of the land use compatibility of the proposed landfill expansion. To see a news article on this Click here. The group also has a new website: www.huttoonline.com/landfill
3. Texas Campaign for the Environment and landfill neighbors with Weatherford Trash Watch filed comments opposing a lateral expansion through a permit modification and called for an enforcement investigation against IESI for running an open dump. The landfill never completed its Subtitle D upgrades and should be considered an open dump. The TCEQ received more than 3500 letters opposing the expansion so far. Contact robin@texasenvironment.org for more details.
4. Central Texas residents finally have good recycling options for their unwanted computers and peripherals. Dell, Goodwill and the City of Austin are partnering to recycle old computers. Central Texans can drop off their unwanted equipment at any Goodwill donation center. City of Austin residents can call the City which will arrange home pick-ups by Goodwill for $10. See www.computerrecyclingproject.com for details. The hope is to replicate this program across the country.
Posted by robin at 06:53 PM
Mt. Hutto Aware Citizens
Mt. Hutto Aware Citizens fighting a landfill expansion plan in Williamson County owned by the County but run by Waste Management
Posted by robin at 06:47 PM
October 01, 2004
Two Landfill Victories & Two Upcoming Battles
Congratulations to Citizens Against the Dump (Brazoria/Ft. Bend Counties) for defeating a landfill proposal. The three TCEQ Commissioners voted 3 to 0 on September 29 to deny a permit to Juliff Gardens. They went through a Contested Case Hearing and were ably represented by the Houston law firm of Blackburn and Carter. They won a great recommendation from the Adminstrative Law Judges (ALJ) that heard the case. The TCEQ Commissioners went along with most of the major points of the ALJ opinion and denied the permit. For more information on their case Click here
Secondly, the Citizens Against the Montgomery Landfill scored a victory last week. The Houston/Galveston Area Council decided that the proposed landfill is "not consistent or inconsistent" with the regional solid waste plan. This was better than they expected! For more details: Click here
Two Upcoming Battles
Folks fighting an expansion of the Williamson County/Waste Management Landfill won a public meeting on the land use issues of a massive proposed expansion. The meeting was finally scheduled for Monday October 11 at the Hutto Primary School. For details: Click here
Lastly, the trash company IESI is attempting to expand its Weatherford dump through a permit modification rather than amendment - and the TCEQ Executive Director is poised to grant it! Please consider sending comments in opposition to creating an ugly precendent by Oct. 15. For details: Click here
Posted by robin at 12:55 PM