Sunny Farms operation permit voted down by board

FOSTORIA—The Seneca County General Health District hosted a public meeting on Thursday evening in the Fostoria City Council Chambers, where they discussed and voted on the 2023 Operational License for WIN Waste Innovations and Sunny Farms Landfill. The event attracted a full house of community members, and after several comments from the public, the Board of Health voted to issue an intent to deny the 2023 operating license for Sunny Farms Landfill, which conditions were released by Seneca County General Health District. Although Sunny Farms Landfill is reportedly in full substantial compliance with the terms of the Ohio EPA solid waste permit to install, several questions and comments arose from members of the Board of Health along with concerns from the local citizens who attended the meeting. Although the vote to deny the permit to operate was passed, it is not one hundred percent certain that it will happen, as an official appeal and hearing needs to take place. Additionally, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has the final say in issuing the operating license. According to a press release from Erika Handru, communications specialist for the Seneca County General Health District, "This vote does not deny the landfill's operating license outright but rather initiates the process required by law to deny the license. The Health District must notify Sunny Farms Landfill in writing of the Board's intent to deny. "Sunny Farms Landfill will then have 30 days to request a hearing. If a hearing is requested, the Health District will schedule a hearing open to the public and provide at least 20 days' notice of the hearing. If Sunny Farms Landfill does not request a hearing within 30 days, the board must then formally vote on whether to proceed with denying the 2023 operating license. No meetings or hearings are scheduled at this time." During the public speaking portion of the Dec. 30 meeting, Susan Platt of Loudon Township, who represents Residents Against Trash (RAT) Patrol, said "approval of a permit is a green light for expansion and our community cannot shoulder any further verdict. We should be working toward waste reduction, not encouraging more." During the board discussion, Seneca County Health Commissioner Anne Goon said "the current status is WIN Waste Innovations and Sunny Farms Landfill has been operating under the partial consent order and final judgment entry of case No. 19 CV 0224 since July 2019." "That consent order was between the Ohio EPA and Sunny Farms Landfill," Goon explained. "No notice of the violations have been issued against Sunny Farms Landfill in 2022 and 2021," Goon continued, adding Sunny Farms has no outstanding violations. "Based upon the information we currently have and our inspection practices and observations over the last year, we do recommend board approval of the 2023 operating license, ideally with one or more of the proposed license conditions that were created with the assistance of our solid waste and legal consultants." During the board discussion, board member McKenzie Posey said "I feel like there are lots of things being tossed around," she said. "It seems like there's a lot of things that should be violations and are not getting cited as violations…I feel like I know a quarter of the information, or we just haven't gotten a lot of things to make a comfortable vote really." "I'm concerned about the surrounding properties," said board member Natasha Vitte, who expressed distress for the homes of individuals who live around the landfill. Vitte explained she has also received several emails in regard to trash and debris being scattered across properties near Sunny Farms. Board member Zachary West said he has concerns over the transparency coming from Sunny Farms Landfill to the general public. West also addressed for the record the earthquake that struck Fostoria on Dec. 22, noting that it was one mile away from Sunny Farms Landfill. Board member Clay Wolph expressed that "it always seems like there's an excuse for things not to count as a violation," in regard to Sunny Farms. After board discussion, Wolph called for a motion to attempt to deny the operating license for Sunny Farms. Other Board members that voted to deny the permit include West, Vitte, Posey, Edward Logsdon and Robert Watson. Only one board member, Mark Akres, voted to approve the permit. With a 6-1 vote, the 2023 Operational License for WIN Waste Innovations and Sunny Farms Landfill was not authorized by the Seneca County Board of Health. "WIN Waste Innovations is deeply disappointed by the Seneca County General Health District Board of Health's decision to deny the renewal of Sunny Farms Landfill's annual operating license," said Brian Ezyk, vice president of landfills for WIN Waste Innovations. "WIN Waste feels confident the law will prevail to have the license renewed and intends to move forward with an appeal. Renewal of the operating license will allow Sunny Farms to continue to provide safe and reliable services to Seneca County and the surrounding region, with guidance and oversight from Ohio EPA."