Plans for a Box Elder County-owned landfill near the northeast corner of the county's Little Mountain were announced recently by Commissioner Jay Hardy.

Numerous sites for a new landfill, including Whites and Pocatello valleys west of Tremonton, a site west of Thiokol, a site west of Little Mountain, and sites near Snowville, have been proposed and rejected over the past 12 years."I'm not going to back off," Hardy promised in anticipation of inevitable protests to this newest site.

Only eight months remain until the county's existing landfills are scheduled to close, but commissioners say state officials have indicated existing landfills may be allowed to remain open for an extended time if construction of a new landfill is under way. The county's next step is to purchase one of four parcels under consideration.

Estimated costs for a new landfill are well over $3 million, including closure of five old landfills. Fortunately, Hardy said, the centrally located landfill at Little Mountain, 16 miles from both Brigham City and Tremonton, however, eliminates the need for the $1 million transfer station previously considered.

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The landfill's initial 10-acre cell would last 81/2 years based on 40,000 tons of waste, compacted, per year. Meanwhile, a second cell would be readied.

Geotechnical testing must prove the site permitable under strict state and federal regulations. According to Hardy, Dennis Downs, director of the Utah Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, considers the Little Mountain area feasible.

The county intends to bond for funds to build the landfill. Bonds are to be repaid with user fees. Bonding will depend on commitments by Box Elder municipalities to contract with the county landfill.

Mandatory countywide collection, including coordinating public and private providers, is part of the plan. Commissioners have adopted a resolution setting up a separate Solid Waste Department in county government to administer collection.

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