Brazos County leaders outline plan to manage future landfill development

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -A public meeting in Millican drew a large crowd on Sunday as Brazos County leaders outlined a plan to restrict where future landfills could be located. The proposal focuses on a 100-acre county-owned site on Kathy Fleming Road, a former landfill from the 1980s.

Brazos County Judge Duane Peters explained that in this case its better to be proactive than reactive.

“By designating that as the only place that a landfill can be. Then the Commissioner’s Court can have any control over whether a company wants to come in and put in a private landfill, then the Commissioner’s Court has some say about it. Otherwise, we don’t,” Peters said.

The county does not plan to use or sell the site for a landfill. The goal is to ensure that any future landfill development is confined to this designated area, thereby preventing private companies from acquiring land and starting a landfill without county control.

Brazos County resident Lynn Elliott voiced support for the proposal.

”I love the proposal, get it in front of the commissioner’s court and go the route that will deny anybody in the future,” said Elliott. “If you don’t, and something happens, if someone acquires property, gets it into the permitting process, you’re too late. That could be detrimental.”

Though some residents questioned whether the ordinance would be foolproof or if future commissioners could reverse the decision, county officials are hopeful that the plan will move forward.

“We will get with our attorney to draw that ordinance for us. We will take it to the Commissioner’s Court, and my hope is that we will get that done in the next two to three weeks. If you’re not proactive, if someone files for that application, it’s too late, and you can’t do anything about it,” Peters said.

Meanwhile, in Lee County, a similar issue is playing out. Residents have raised strong opposition to a proposed compost facility in the rural community of Lincoln, citing concerns about environmental risks and the potential for water contamination.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is currently reviewing the permit application for the facility, alongside dozens of formal complaints submitted by local residents. Much like the situation in Brazos County, Lee County residents are rallying to ensure they have a say in the future development that could impact their environment and way of life.

Once the ordinance is on the Commissioners Court agenda, Brazos County residents will have another chance to share their concerns.

Key Points Highlighted from Brazos County

*Brazos County is not building a landfill, nor does the county government want a landfill.

* Texas Health and Safety Code Sect. 364.012 dictates a county must designate land as potential landfill space in order to protect all other county land from potential future landfills.

*With no designated landfill space, any private company could buy up a large amount of land and begin the process of building a landfill and Brazos County would have no recourse to stop them.

*By having a designated plot of land as the only place a landfill could be built in Brazos County, the commissioner’s court would be able to intervene if a company wanted to bring in a landfill.

*The land in Millican under consideration for this designation was once used as a landfill. Any property damage that surrounding land might incur as a result of having land designated for landfill purposes has already occurred. That’s what makes this particular piece of land the best place for this designation.

*To reiterate, just because this land is designated as potential landfill space does not mean the county has any desire for a landfill. This action is strictly to protect the county from future landfill development.

RELATED COVERAGE: Community Takes Action: Addressing Concerns Over Lee County Compost Facility

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