The latest in a long list of possible sites for a new county landfill was recently announced as Box Elder County commissioners tentatively approved a preliminary feasibility assessment by Tahoma Cos. Inc. of Cedar City on a site in a large basin atop the north end of Box Elder County's Little Mountain.
Commissioner Jay Hardy said the county has purchased options on a 112-acre parcel and a 156-acre parcel in the basin approximately 22 miles from Brigham City. The site would be accessed along Iowa String Road (6800 West) either south from Tremonton or north from Brigham City, west along 6800 North, then a little over two miles south up a private access road.According to commissioners, several positive aspects make the site promising. A high groundwater table wouldn't be a problem on top of the mountain, as it was in a previously proposed site in the valley northeast of Little Mountain. It is also likely that there is a good clay base at the site.
Another benefit is its relative closeness to both Tremonton and Brigham City, eliminating the need to build a million-dollar-plus transfer station elsewhere. Waste would be transported directly to the land-fill.
The purpose of the proposed assessment, to cost no more than $5,000, is to judge the initial suitability of the site before spending money on detailed engineering studies.
Hardy said if the site eventually proves acceptable, a Class Four landfill for construction debris would likely be located just off 6800 North. A station at that point would monitor both the small landfill and the larger landfill.
The overall grade of the access road is 3 percent to 5 percent, with small sections of 8 percent to 11 percent that would likely have to be rerouted. The Utah Department of Transportation has unofficially commented that the grade should be no problem for either commercial trucks or private vehicles.