The Town of Dumfries and the owners of Potomac Landfill, Inc., made Virginia land use history at the February 2 Town Council meeting. PLI and the Council agreed to enter into a “host fee agreement” centered on three provisions that are unprecedented for a Virginia Construction, Demolition, and Debris (CDD) landfill.
First, the agreement provides the opportunity for the Town to share the profits of landfill operations via a “host fee” that can, depending on the volume of waste received, amount to several million dollars the Town would not otherwise receive. No other Virginia CDD landfill pays such a fee to its host community. Second, the parties agreed to collaborate on a mutually agreeable end-use plan for the property once the landfill is closed. Finally, and for the first time, PLI agreed to cease operations in 16 years.
PLI has been present in Dumfries for more than 30 years, and its interests have focused on the need to acquire more airspace to allow for more waste intake as well as on the use of the property after operations cease. PLI will now be able to incorporate state-of-the-art technology and construction methods that permit both vertical and horizontal expansion and that will result in an area atop the closed landfill that can become part of an overall end-use plan.
John Foote provided legal counsel and Marian Harders assisted with project management to the project team led by the very able managers of Potomac Landfill, Phil Peet and Steve Danahy. Joe Giangrandi and Matt Clark with LandDesign, Inc., assisted in the development of the end-use plan and crafted this video to demonstrate PLI’s vision.