Tri-County Landfill Permit Denied

August 12, 2025

by State Rep. Tim Bonner (R-Mercer/Butler)
I am pleased to recognize that the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has denied the permit application of Tri-County Industries to reopen and operate a municipal waste landfill on 99 acres of land located in Liberty and Pine Townships in Mercer County. The Commonwealth Court reversed the decision of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, which had approved the issuance of the permit that would have fully restored the ability of Tri-County Industries to operate a permanent waste disposal site at the Liberty and Pine Township location. This location had previously operated as a permanent waste disposal site between 1950 and 1990 and has operated as a waste transfer facility since 1990.

In denying the permit, the Commonwealth Court held that the regulation adopted in 1997, by the Environmental Quality Board, mandating that no landfill shall be located within 10,000 feet of any runway using turbine-powered aircraft, applied to the new permit request by Tri-County Industries and, therefore, prohibited any permit to be issued to Tri-County Industries to reopen as a permanent landfill site as a portion of the landfill was located within 10,000 feet of such an airport owned and operated by Grove City Borough in Springfield Township.

Tri-County Industries has several legal options moving forward. Among those options, it can request the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to reverse the decision of the Commonwealth Court. Whatever their course of action may be, it is certain that Liberty Township and CEARSA, a local environmental group led by Jane Cleary and Dan Biddle, will oppose any effort to reopen the landfill. The opponents to the landfill also have several other legal options available to them to oppose the granting of the permit which the court has not needed to consider at this time. They should be thanked, along with many other community activists, for their tireless efforts in opposing the reopening of the landfill.

I will also continue my efforts to pass legislation that will prohibit any landfill to operate within three (3) miles of any densely populated community. A hearing was held on this legislation before the House Environmental Committee but with opposition from Governor Wolf and the Department of Environmental Protection, who both wanted the landfill reopened, the legislation was not approved. With momentum from this court decision recognizing that a setback distance for a landfill from an airport for safety reasons is necessary, it should also be recognized that setbacks for waste disposal sites from densely populated communities for health and safety reasons should similarly be recognized. The battle for the health, safety and welfare of our community continues.

Representative Tim Bonnner
17th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andrew Forgotch
717.772.9905
aforgotch@pahousegop.com
https://www.repbonner.com/ / Facebook.com/RepBonner