A proposed expansion of Eau Claire County's only landfill onto county forest land will not move forward.
The county Parks and Forest Committee voted unanimously on Monday to take no action and not sell county land at this time for GFL's proposed expansion of the Seven Mile Landfill in the Town of Seymour. The decision drew applause from residents in the room.
The proposal covered 120 acres, including 88 acres of Eau Claire County Forest, and would have extended the landfill's life by about 15 years. The landfill currently has about 15 years of capacity left, according to the report.
Committee members were given three options: take no action, authorize an appraisal of the land, or create a stakeholder group to study broader outcomes. The committee chose the first. Chair Joe Knight said the county will eventually have to plan for life after Seven Mile closes, but that question was not before this committee.
County Parks and Forestry Director Josh Pedersen said GFL could return with a different proposal, but the vote signals little interest in further expansion onto county forest land. GFL still plans to expand onto 80 acres the county sold earlier, which would be the final expansion at the site. No GFL representative attended the meeting, and the company had not responded to requests for comment.
