The former McKean County Landfill has moved a step closer to
increasing its intake with word Thursday that the state Department
of Environmental Protection had approved an environmental
assessment necessary for a permit change.

Rustick LLC, which now owns the landfill, has applied for a
major permit modification to increase the permitted average daily
intake from 1,000 tons to 1,500, with a daily maximum of 1,800
tons.

The company also is seeking approval to construct a railroad
siding to receive waste by rail.

Rustick President Rich Gotshall said Thursday that the approval
is positive news for the landfill and McKean County, but that there
is still more to the process of the modification process.

“This represents only the first step in the review process,” DEP
Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch said in announcing the
approval. “The department now will begin to review the engineering
and technical phase of the application to ensure that the plans
meet DEP’s stringent regulations for landfill design and
construction.”

“During the permitting process, landfill operators must
demonstrate that proposed landfill construction or expansion will
generate social and economic benefits that clearly outweigh
potential environmental harms, the DEP announcement continued. This
environmental assessment, commonly called a harms-benefits test, is
the initial screening mechanism before a full technical review.

“In approving Rustick’s assessment, DEP looked at the balance
between the impact of a landfill on the surrounding communities and
any environmental, social and economic benefits gained from a
proposed facility. The department evaluated increased employment at
the landfill, the facility’s equipment purchasing and leasing, the
use and purchase of additional local goods and services, and
additional local tax revenues.

The approval of the environmental assessment does not authorize
changes to the landfill’s permit at this time.

That decision will be made based on Rustick’s ability to meet
the department’s solid waste technical regulations, the DEP
statement concluded.

Once DEP does the rest of its review and grants approval for the
railroad, Rustick will be able to expand its marketing efforts to
offer services more areas.

The landfill is presently taking in about 800 tons per day.

Rustick purchased the then-struggling facility from the McKean
County Solid Waste Authority last year.