Resident letter urges Gardner commission to keep Sledge Landfill enforcement order open

A letter from resident Alan Russo, read into the record at the Gardner Conservation Commission meeting, urged the commission to keep the enforcement order for the Sledge Landfill open and to require a licensed-engineer review of the site’s stormwater infrastructure.

Russo’s submission said the landfill’s stormwater management system dates to 1990 and was not upgraded during a vertical expansion beginning in 2016. He cited a March 10, 2025 wastewater facilities inspection that noted the facility is “not in compliance” and referenced a McClure Engineering operations report estimating about four years of remaining landfill life, raising the possibility the landfill could reach capacity in 2029. Russo also flagged contaminants he described as present in wastewater sludge and asked the commission to require a comprehensive assessment, a written plan for repairs or upgrades, and continued monitoring.

Commissioners said the reports provided to them were lacking in format and detail and agreed a refreshed, more data-rich review would be useful. The commission voted to continue the enforcement order and set a timeline for follow-up inspections and monitoring; the body later scheduled the next substantive review for August 3, 2026 to span seasonal rains.

The commission’s action keeps the enforcement order open while staff and commissioners pursue additional engineering assessment and written remediation or upgrade plans.