COMPLIANCE INFO_2013-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Saga Joaqvin County supervisors to selandfill debate - Lodinews.com: New Page 1 of 2 6 W San Joaquin i fill debate By Kristopher Anderson/News-Sentinel Staff Writer I Posted: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 12:00 am The Stockton airport, the county's farm bureau and others have been entrenched in a land -use debate with a Stockton landfill seeking to expand by almost 200 acres, in order to extend its lifespan. While some county officials say the proposed Forward Landfill project wouldn't immediately pose any additional environment problems, opponents believe the project would create numerous dangers for neighboring farmers and airplanes landing at the neighboring airport. On Tuesday, both sides will present arguments to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, who must provide a four-fifths vote in order to approve the project. Today the landfill extends more than 200 feet high, making it very visible from Highway 99. And continuing to inflate the pile of waste would be harmful to several surrounding industries, says Bruce Blodgett, executive director of the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau. "We need to be thinking differently about our long-term future and what's best for our region," he said. "Continuing to extend the landfill, which should have been closed by now, is not in the best interest of San Joaquin County." Foward Landfill officials couldn't be reached for in interview. In order to approve the project, supervisors would have to override the airport land use compatibility plan developed in 1993, which prohibits Forward Landfill, located off Austin Road, from expanding into the outer approach of the Stockton Metropolitan Airport. The landfill is currently scheduled to close in 2021, but the expansion would allow the landfill to operate until 2039. Supervisors have received numerous letters from agencies that say the project would be detrimental to the safety of aircraft using the airport. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the expanded landfill would attract birds, creating a hazard for aircraft. "The location of the existing landfill is not considered compatible with safe airport operations," the FAA stated in a letter to supervisors. Forward Landfill has tried to keep birds away by releasing falcons and using pyrotechnics. However, airplanes have struck birds while taxiing four times in the past year, according to the FAA. In 2012, Patrick Carreno, director of the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, also wrote a letter to supervisors objecting to the project. http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_51d20blb-b38c-52cl-84da-7elbeeaa6810.html?mode=print 9/24/2013