Before the economic downturn, population was growing rapidly in Pasco and the Shady Hills waste-to-energy facility was reaching its capacity. Pasco officials were exploring long-term waste management alternatives.
One company proposed building a private landfill in the eastern part of the county, near the Green Swamp.
But growth in Pasco County slowed and Shady Hills won’t need to be expanded for another 50 years. And, the county made other arrangements.
Yet, that private company, Angelo’s Aggregate Materials, won’t give up. The company still wants to build a landfill on 1,069 acres in East Pasco in an area known to have sinkholes. If a sinkhole were to form under this landfill, it would dump waste into the aquifer the source of water for the entire Tampa Bay area.
It’s a public risk for a private company. And really, it’s entirely unnecessary. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is expected to make a landfill permit decision by January 10, 2012.