Keystone Sanitary Landfill granted 15-month temporary extension

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a 15-month temporary extension of Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s (KSL) existing operating permit for its landfill facility in Lackawanna County.

DEP says this is not a renewal of the operating permit and will extend KSL’s existing operating permit until Dec. 31, 2026.

DEP previously issued a six-month extension of KSL’s operating permit in April.

“This extension will allow review and oversight of the odor control corrective measures recently completed at the landfill, so we can ensure that the community is not adversely affected by odors from the facility,” DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley says. “DEP is focused on removing stray odors, ensuring the environment around the landfill is protected and protecting quality of life for the community. DEP is extending the current permit so we have the time to consider the permit renewal application and can ensure that DEP is providing the best possible oversight of this facility.”

DEP granted this extension to allow the agency sufficient time to evaluate KSL’s Sept. 17 response to the Renewal Review Letter issued on July 18, as well as any additional deficiencies DEP may identify during its review. DEP says it also needs sufficient time to reevaluate the harm benefits analysis considering these corrective measures.

To control odors from KSL’s leachate lagoons, facility operators implemented two 2.5-million-gallon enclosed leachate storage tanks, which began operating in September, along with an odor control system for the leachate treatment plant.

DEP says KSL also has implemented numerous leachate generation minimization measures at the facility, and while KSL has been in compliance with DEP’s leachate storage regulations since these measures were implemented, this additional time will enable the department to confirm that this concern is addressed. DEP will consider these mitigation measures in the review of the permit renewal application.