Local residents, IEPA challenge Winnebago Landfill

By Paul Gorski
Special Report

As reported in “Local residents take action, file suit against Winnebago Landfill” (Aug. 21-27 issue), more than 160 residents living near the Winnebago Landfill recently filed a lawsuit claiming the landfill created an odor “nuisance” through the “recurrent release of air pollution and landfill gases …” that has caused “plaintiffs significant inconvenience, annoyance and discomfort as well as the loss of use and enjoyment of their properties.”

When asked about this suit, John Lichty, CEO of Rock River Environmental Services, parent company for the landfill, stated, “It is our policy to not comment on matters that are the subject of pending litigation.”

The Winnebago Landfill began as “Pagel’s Landfill” in 1972 and has grown considerably since then, with further expansion approved by the Winnebago County Board in 2012. In recent years, millions of “tipping fee” dollars from the landfill have been pumped into the local economy, under the direction of the county board, paying for many local programs that would have likely gone unfunded.

The economic impact of the landfill is not in dispute. Local residents and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) claim the landfill has violated pollution regulation laws...

Read the entire article at The Rock River Times: http://rockrivertimes.com/2013/09/04/local-residents-iepa-challenge-winnebago-landfill/