A landfill located in Gunpowder Falls State Park will not be doubling what it discharges into the Bird River. That’s according to State Sen. J.B. Jennings, who said the operator is withdrawing that request.
When the Days Cove Rubble Landfill filed its application earlier this year to increase its discharge, there was an uproar in the community about it. Jennings, a Republican, said this week he has been going back and forth with Gov. Wes Moore’s office as well as the Maryland Department of the Environment about Days Cove’s request.
“That’s now off the table,” Jennings said.
The Maryland Board of Public Works was going to consider a new lease for Days Cove on Wednesday but that has been delayed.
“The community has spoken and the decision makers have heard it,” Jennings said.
In a statement Jay Apperson, a spokesman for MDE said, “Days Cove has withdrawn its request to increase the discharge volume to 25,000 gallons, but the discharge permit application remains under review.”
Apperson added that the landfill is in compliance with its current permit.
“There is no evidence that the discharge is harming aquatic life or interfering with recreational use of the river,” Apperson said.
There is also a plan in place to close the landfill within five years. That would be followed by three years of capping, closing and monitoring the site.
“Quite frankly, it’s a very nice Christmas present for the east side,” said Baltimore County Councilman David Marks, a Republican.
The Baltimore County Council in October called on the doubling of the discharge to be denied and that the landfill eventually be closed.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, in a statement said, “DNR remains committed to closing and capping the rubble fill in 8 years or less, as the current proposed lease would do.”
At Monday night’s council meeting, Marks announced he had just heard that the Days Cove application was going to be on the board of public works’ agenda on Wednesday. He, Jennings and others called on opponents of the landfill to reach out to the board.
About 200 people submitted comments.
