County reviews landfill, recycling funds and flags state methane rule

Routt County staff told commissioners on Aug. 18 that the county
s recycling and landfill fund reserves have grown after a multi-year period of program spending and that staff are reserving funds for future needs such as bridge and road repairs tied to landfill access. At the same time, the county was alerted to an evolving state health department rule (called Regulation 31) that could impose new methane-management and flaring requirements on landfills, potentially raising costs for counties that rely on private landfill operators.

Recycling and reserves: staff said annual landfill volumes have been stable and that recycling-depot operations generally cover their costs, while household hazardous-waste efforts are still subsidized. The county is considering a new drop-off recycling site in coordination with Apex (a local operator) and has budgeted modest support for initial site setup and outreach; staff said a denser monitor network for air quality near the landfill is also planned.

Reserve uses and road concerns: staff noted that several years of revenue included payments to support bridge and road work (McGregor Bridge/road) and that the county will discuss whether to dedicate future landfill-related revenue toward road upgrades or other capital needs tied to landfill access.

Regulation 31: the county manager told commissioners he had received materials from Apex that summarize the state health department
s draft rulemaking on methane management at landfills, including potential flaring requirements. He said some counties and municipalities have raised concerns and sought exemptions; Routt County staff will forward the information to the board for consideration. The county
s landfill is relatively dry, and staff flagged that costs to comply could be significant if private operators are required to add flaring or methane controls.

Ending: staff will keep the board informed as Regulation 31 proceeds through final rulemaking and will provide an update on recycling-site planning and potential expenditure of increasing landfill reserves.