Scott County residents stand against landfill

Last night hundreds of residents came out to Scott County High School, filling up one side of the gym. Residents came to speak about proposed changes to the Scott County Waste Management Plan. The residents in Scott County have been fighting an expansion of the landfill, and the Scott County Fiscal Court is now considering changes to the plan to reduce future waste stored there.

Resident after resident mentioned the impact the existing landfill has had on day-to-day lives – air quality concerns, breathing concerns, dangerous traffic conditions, and repeated offenses by the landfill regarding environmental violations. As the county continues to grow, and waste from other communities is shipped in, the current situation cannot remain the same.

These common refrains often were focused on two essential question: what do we want people to say about the communities where we live? And what kind of place do we want to leave to the next generation of Scott County residents?

People talked about how welcoming Scott County was to their families, the growth in local businesses and the opportunities people have here. They also juxtaposed that with the increasing inability to spend time outside because of the landfill, and how the infamy of the landfill was coloring how many people saw northern Scott County.

Long-term concerns came up again and again. Acknowledging that the world is changing, we need to figure out how to reduce the waste we make. From promoting curbside recycling and reducing our waste, but also the need to think about those who are most impacted: youth, older folks and people with health issues. These people are going to be the ones most to suffer.

The Scott County Fiscal Court will be deciding between two choices: closing the landfill entirely or reducing the source and amount of garbage going in. Regardless of what they decide, this is a clear victory for the residents of Scott County. More importantly though, it can be a victory for us all by helping our communities to plan how best to reduce our waste.

The Central Kentucky Landfill is still seeking to expand, and is challenging the decision of the Board of Adjustors and fiscal court denying its expansion. The lawyer representing community members opposing the landfill reminded those in attendance of that, but also remarked on how during the entire discussion of expansion, the landfill is still receiving new violations from the state.