Testimony Ends in Landfill Hearing

(DAN BORRIES)

Testimony ended Friday evening in a hearing on the proposed siting of a new landfill outside Effingham.

Effingham Crossroads Landfill, LTD is seeking to site a landfill immediately east of the existing Landfill 33. The proposed landfill would have an estimated life of 30 to 40 years.

The neighbors of the current landfill and the proposed landfill, Dan and Darlene Borries and Rick and Deb Stumeier, are objecting to the proposed landfill. 

The Borries' live a little more than a half-mile from the current landfill, but would be some 700 feet away from the boundary of the proposed landfill. The Stumeier property would be even closer. Dan Borries testified Friday that he and Darlene bought the land that is their homesite from his parents in 1986. Borries said he grew up there and the property has been in his family for a century.

Borries said odor, dust, buzzards that frequent the landfill and noise are all matters he and his family deal with now, and expects that they will grow worse with the new landfill being that much closer. He said, "I don't understand why I have to live with this." 

Borries spoke about how he and his family love the outdoors and how the landfill could compromise that enjoyment.

Two of Borries' sons and one of his daughters also spoke about concerns that the proposed landfill could cause.

Deb Stumeier spoke in the public comments portion of the hearing over her concerns over the landfill.

The remainder of the Friday testimony was from representatives of the firm that is designing the landfill. Witnesses Thursday and on Friday morning presented the case for the work done to develop a "state of the art" landfill on the site. Some testified that the design would include benefits for the Borries' and the Stumeiers.

In closing remarks, the Borries' attorney Brent Holmes said he wondered why the operator of Landfill 33 and the proposed landfill, Brian Hayes, didn't testify. Hayes said after the hearing that he didn't testify because of the length of the proceeding. Asked why he chose the site he did, Hayes said he and his late brother-in-law Richard Deibel had worked on the project for 15 years and he continued the process following Deibel's death a couple of years ago, and they had pursued the location next to the existing landfill.

The hearing was held before members of the Effingham County Board, who sat as a jury of sorts to hear the testimony. Larry Clark, hired by the County to serve as hearing officer, acted as the judge of sorts for the proceedings. Now that testimony has concluded, Clark will review the testimony and evidence. Additional written comments can be submitted to Effingham County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel over the next 30 days. Clark will then deliver a written report that will include his recommendation as to whether the landfill should be sited as proposed. The Board will then decide to approve or reject the proposal.

If the Board decides to approve the siting of the landfill, the matter will proceed to the Illinois EPA for review before final siting could occur.