A consent decree entered today in Richmond Circuit Court will hold the City of Bristol responsible for taking specific steps to make improvements at its public landfill.
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the agreement, between the city and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, on Tuesday.
“I’ve traveled to Bristol, talked to Virginians, and our neighbors in Tennessee, firsthand about the issue caused by the Bristol landfill. I’m thrilled that my office has been able to reach an agreement with the City of Bristol, which will bring relief and solutions to the community. Additionally, because this consent decree has been signed by the court, it will hold the City accountable to the promises they’ve made,” Miyares said.
Odor issues tied to the landfill, an ongoing problem for more than two years, have led to numerous reports from city residents experiencing respiratory issues, nausea, headaches, nosebleeds and fatigue due to poor air quality.
The consent decree sets an April 30 deadline for the city to submit to DEQ a stormwater management plan for the site, and a June 14 deadline for work to be completed on a Sidewall Odor Mitigation System.
A 2022 DEQ report has identified the landfill sidewalls as the likely source of the odor, with the report concluding that the landfill’s liner has been compromised.
In addition to the work on the Sidewall Odor Mitigation System, the city has begun drilling wells to remove gas and liquids from the landfill.
“We are pleased to hear Judge Jenkins has made the Bristol Landfill consent decree official,” said DEQ Director Michael Rolband. “It culminates a long process and shows the dedication from both DEQ and the Office of the Attorney General to assure the citizens of Bristol that we will not stop until this issue is resolved. There is a lot more work that needs to be done on-site, but we can pause to celebrate this step in the process.”
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Chris Graham
