White Pines failed to demonstrate that the benefits of this facility clearly outweigh the known and potential environmental harms, Yowell said. Therefore, DEP is required by the regulations to deny this application.

During the permitting process, a harms/benefits analysis or environmental assessment looks at the balance between the impact of a landfill on the surrounding communities and any environmental, social and economic benefits gained from a proposed facility.

DEP provided White Pines with opportunities to address the many issues raised by our harms/benefits review and concerns raised by the Columbia-Lycoming Environmental Action Committee (CLEAN) and others in the area, Yowell said.

The use of a harms/benefits analysis during landfill permit reviews is required by Pennsylvanias municipal waste regulations that were finalized in December 2000. The analysis is the initial screening mechanism for landfill permit reviews conducted before a full technical review is completed.

The harms identified during DEPs analysis included, among others, traffic safety, community and aesthetic impacts and air quality impacts. CLEAN and others who submitted their comments to DEP for review also identified many of these issues.

White Pines Corp. has operated a permitted residual waste landfill at the same location since August 1998. The landfill can accept an average of 800 tons per day of residual, or non-hazardous industrial, waste per day.

In March 2000, White Pines submitted a permit application requesting DEP approval to convert the existing residual waste landfill to a municipal waste landfill, the first such proposal in the state. Included in the application was a request to expand existing landfill disposal capacity by 1.4 million cubic yards, but it did not include a proposal to increase the amount of waste received per day.

DEP held a public meeting in June 2001 to explain the application and answer questions from the public. More than 350 residents attended the three-and-one-half hour meeting.

DEPs denial of the municipal waste landfill application has no effect on the companys existing residual waste landfill permit, and that facility may continue to operate in accordance with those regulations.

For more information on landfills, visit DEP through the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, or directly at www.dep.state.pa.us (directLINK Waste Management).