New Hampshire approves 60-acre expansion of Turnkey Landfill

WM’s Turnkey Landfill in Rochester, New Hampshire, received state approval to move forward with a 60-acre expansion, reports Foster’s Daily Democrat.

The project is still awaiting approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). State approval came from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Air Resources Division (NHDES), which issued the Title V Operating Permit.

EPA has 45 days, which began Oct. 25, to object to the issuance of the permit. If no objection is made, NHDES will issue the final permit.

If approved, the permit will allow WM to move forward with its plan to accept an additional 1.4 million to 1.55 million tons of waste, some from out of state, at the Turnkey Landfill.

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According to the permit application, the more than 1,300-acre site in Rochester, which is operated by a private subsidiary of Houston-based WM, has proposed a plan to increase its disposal capacity and extend the lifespan of its 218-acre active landfill by adding another 60 acres. Three landfills exist at the site, with two that are inactive and capped.

Some residents have expressed concern about the expansion. In 2020, the Conservation Law Foundation fought the project with a lawsuit but was unsuccessful.

Complaints from residents have largely been surrounding health and safety concerns, as well as potential odors.

While WM’s permit doesn’t include considerations for pollutants, the company’s Director of Disposal Operations Steve Poggi did provide insight into landfill odors. During an Oct. 17 public hearing, Poggi acknowledged worsening odors and cited unusually high amounts of rainfall this summer and fall as the cause.

As reported by Foster’s Daily Democrat, WM is taking action to remediate the odor problem and indicated the company believes it is not a safety concern for area residents.

City councilors currently are looking into steps to make up for the $4 million annual loss in hosting revenues when the Turnkey operation closes, estimated to be around 2034.