Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners will take up a resolution against a controversial proposed new landfill when it meets this week and a local group is urging a public show of support.

The Washtenaw County Environmental Council advises on “policies that protect the health, safety, environment, and quality of life of Washtenaw County residents”. This past Tuesday, the Environmental Council unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the proposed new landfill in Salem Township.

That resolution will be before the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners for its meeting at 7pm this Wednesday, February 4th.

The Conservancy Initiative is a non-profit formed to oppose the expansion of the Arbor Hills Landfill in 2015. It’s all-volunteer and many know “The Conservancy Initiative” as “Stop Arbor Hills”.

Arbor Hills Landfill is located on 6 Mile at Napier Road in Salem Township at the Washtenaw County line and borders Northville Township. It’s operated by Green for Life Environmental or GFL. Arbor Hills is expected to reach the end of its permitted capacity in or around 2028. GFL owns the property directly north of the existing landfill, north of Six Mile, and wants to utilize that property to expand landfill capacity at the site.
Opposition efforts have been underway for years by residents, neighbors, and environmental advocates.

The Conservancy Initiative’s primary goal is to prevent a new landfill from being permitted at the site. Thus, the group is encouraging people to come out and voice their opposition to the expansion/new landfill.

The group asserts that the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is “the most important decision-making body in the approval process for the proposed new landfill and represents the best opportunity to stop it from moving forward”.

Residents who share concerns are being “strongly encouraged to attend this meeting and use the opening public comment period to briefly state their opposition to the proposed new landfill and their support for the Environmental Council's resolution”.

The Board of Commissioners meets Wednesday in the board room of the Administrative Building at 220 North Main Street in Ann Arbor.

A link to the full resolution is provided.