State Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon and Deputy Majority Leader, Del. Israel O’Quinn, R-Bristol, announced steps Thursday designed to help resolve issues with the city of Bristol Virginia’s landfill.
“We are committed to working with the city of Bristol to implement effective and efficient solutions at the city-owned landfill. Everyone can agree that, despite ongoing efforts to address the problems, more assistance is needed," according to the joint statement.
The city has invested more than $3 million in efforts to address emissions that are causing widespread public and health concerns, but the problems remain. Earlier this month the city asked the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency to provide expert assistance and funding to resolve the problems.
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Pillion and O’Quinn said they are working to engage the state agency.
“We have introduced budget amendments in the Senate and House that will formally authorize the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to provide emergency technical assistance to the city of Bristol, Virginia in resolving ongoing issues with the city-owned landfill and to facilitate a long-term plan for the operational status of the landfill once any health, environmental, or quality of life issue has been mitigated," the joint statement continued.
The lawmakers also met personally this week with newly appointed DEQ Director Michael Rolband, to brief him on the situation. DEQ has been involved in monitoring the landfill.
"We wanted to immediately brief him on the matter and express our desire for the commonwealth to provide as much assistance as possible, in coordination and cooperation with the city of Bristol and any federal, state, or local agency,” according to the statement.
Bristol Virginia Mayor Anthony Farnum said the support of the state legislators is appreciated.
“Del. O’Quinn and Sen. Pillion understand the complexity of the situation in Bristol. While we’ve been talking to the Virginia DEQ and the EPA and the engineers hired by the city, I think it’s important to know that we’ve got their support, and they’re doing everything they can to help us to help the citizens in Bristol that are dealing with this issue.”
Additionally, new proposed legislation is designed to aid landfill gas recovery operations.
Del. O’Quinn has introduced HB 558, the Virginia Energy Innovation Act, that will allow methane capture to count as part of a natural gas company’s portfolio, to better incentivize the capture of bio-gas that is emitted from the Bristol landfill and other similar facilities.
“This bill, along with the other measures we are pursuing, will give the city and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality several avenues to combat this issue,” according to the statement.
The lawmakers said they recognize the angst surrounding the ongoing landfill situation.
“We hear the concerns and frustrations that have been expressed. As citizen legislators, we live in the communities we represent and desire a solution as much as anyone. Our goal is to help the city achieve that as quickly and completely as possible,” according to the statement.