The Sandy Run Landfill in Broad Top Township, Bedford County, has a new owner. The landfill acquisition was one of several environmental topics discussed at a recent meeting of the Broad Top Township Supervisors, held in the municipal complex in Defiance.

The 711-acre landfill, located at 995 Landfill Road, near Langdondale, is now owned and operated by Green for Life Environmental (GFL) based out of Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Huntingdon, Bedford and Fulton counties, the landfill is utilized by trash haulers and municipalities situated in southcentral and southeastern Pennsylvania.

Sandy Run Landfill is one of 34 collection operations, 36 transfer stations and 18 landfills across 10 U.S. states comprising GFL’s operations. The company currently retains over 900 employees.

The supervisors reviewed its monthly landfill inspector’s report at the November session at which time township chairman Donald Hedge Jr. announced that municipal representatives will be meeting with landfill general manager Dusty Hilbert to discuss the new ownership and changes at the landfill.

Turning to other matters the supervisors learned that work is continuing on the rehabilitation of an acid mine drainage (AMD) site in Finleyville. Chairman Hedge, who also serves a project coordinator for the township’s AMD remediation activities, reported that he has been in contact with officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation office in pursuit of authorization to move ahead with another AMD project in the Longs Run watershed.

Township environmentalist and community activist Ernest Fuller reported that he and township secretary Stacy Woomer were a part of a virtual Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference during which it was learned that the U.S. Congress is being urged to reenact a coal tonnage tax which monies would be used for the cleanup of AMD sites likes those in the Broad Top area.

Reportedly, many Pennsylvania legislators do not support the proposal, prompting Fuller to recommend that the township submit letters to state legislators “stressing the importance of this tax both economically and environmentally.”

Hedge reported that the township continues with its successful AMD passive treatment systems remediation activities as a means of cleaning up area streams. To this end, it is necessary for the township to have a Mine Operators license which the supervisors agreed to renew at a cost of $50.

Hedge also reported that the township has received numerous complaints about odor coming from the Martin Farm area where an application of biosolids is being placed following the completion of a surface mining project in that area of the municipality. The application of biosolids was necessary after problems surfaced earlier with AMD contamination from runoff water into Brewster Hollow Creek and apparent inappropriate backfilling and use of cover soil.

Later, the township agreed to allow the application of biosolids except for the slope towards Brewster Hollow Creek.

Hedge went on to explain that biosolids were applied for about a month starting in the fall of 2019, but the work had to be stopped due to ground freezing issues.

Not long afterwards, another process was introduced using an aeriation system requiring the spraying of a misty deodorant.

In time, a smell from the process increased as efforts continue to get vegetation to grow on the site, Hedge explained. A new perfume system is now installed, and Hedge expects the odor to dissipate in about three or four weeks. “The township expresses its sincere apologies to the residents (about the odor) … by winter it should be finished … it was not done to hurt anyone, it was done to improve the Brewster Hollow stream,” the chairman added.

The supervisors continue to work on the township’s 2021 fiscal budget with plans to adopt the financial blueprint at its Dec. 1 session. It was also announced that there will be no increase next year in the wastewater rates which is $22 a month.