LANDFILL PERMIT - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The San Juan County Regional Landfill (SJLF) is an existing solid waste facility that commenced operations in 1988. San Juan County initially operated the landfill and is the owner of the 160-acre facility. Since 1990, San Juan County has leased the landfill property to Waste Management of New Mexico (WMNM) for the purpose of operating a solid waste facility.

The SJLF was permitted as a solid waste facility with the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) in 1988 via Registration Number 241102. The facility design and operations have been conducted in accordance with the applicable NMED Solid Waste Management Regulations since that time. All disposal units since the installation of Cell 3 (1992) meet the composite liner and leachate collection standards of the current NMED regulations (20 NMAC 9.1). 

WMNM has routinely involved NMED's Solid Waste Bureau in the facility's design, construction, operations, and monitoring. In 1998, NMED granted a Groundwater Monitoring Suspension Request (GWMSR) to the SJLF based on demonstrations made by Daniel B. Stephens Associates (DBSA). The GWMSR process included a public hearing (Case No. SW 97-08(S).

In 1998, WMNM voluntarily submitted a Solid Waste Facility application to NMED's Solid Waste Bureau that addressed all of the current siting, design, operations, closure, and monitoring criteria. The Application was prepared by DBSA, with support from other experts on specific areas. For instance, Rust Environment and Infrastructure (RUST) authored the Hydrogeologic reports; and WMNM provided assistance with operations, contingency, and closure/post-closure planning. Specialists were also involved in surveys for archaeological sites and threatened/endangered species.

Before NMED completed its review of the 1998 Application, WMNM proposed in 2003 that an updated Solid Waste Facility Application be submitted for review. The 2003 Application, revised and updated by Gordon Environmental, Inc. (GEI), retains most of the data from the 1998 Application that pertains to siting, hydrogeology, operations, and closure/post-closure. This Application describes upgrades to the Engineering design, including new and improved liner and landfill cap systems the new proposed Solid Waste Management Regulations, 20.9.1 NMAC. Design enhancements are depicted on a new set of Engineering Drawings; with supporting calculations provided in the permit application.

The required 2003 Application also address regulatory changes since the 1998 submission. For instance, new mapping by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) has re-classified seismic impact zones throughout the country. The area of the SJLF was elevated to a higher seismic impact zone, so the engineering calculations provide the required stability demonstrations. New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) of USEPA's Clean Air Act, applicable since 1996, are also addressed. The Engineering Drawings show the conceptual layout for a landfill gas (LFG) control system for the SJLF, which may be used for an alternate energy source.