Posted on: Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Kaua'i looks to increase landfill's height

Advertiser Staff

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The county hopes to raise the height of its landfill at Kekaha a second time while it seeks a replacement site.

The engineering firm Earth Tech has prepared a draft environmental assessment for the Kekaha Landfill Phase II, Second Vertical Expansion, which calls for raising the maximum elevation of the 35-acre landfill from 60 to 85 feet above sea level.

Earth Tech environmental department manager Ron Boyle said the landfill is nearing its design height, and that based on islandwide refuse production, the expansion should last five more years.

"They're going to need to pick a new site real soon," Boyle said, because permitting and land preparation could take as much as four years.

The landfill is west of the town of Kekaha, and area residents have complained that it is time for other communities to share the burden of having a landfill nearby.

The draft environmental assessment is available for public comment through Aug. 23. A copy is available at the Waimea Public Library.