Monofill withdraws permit application

PALMER — The owners of a proposed landfill have withdrawn an application for a permit to operate the monofill at the area, Department of Environmental Conservation officials said Friday.

Mat-Su Borough Planning Commission has twice rejected an application by Central Monofill Services to operate a landfill in an area adjacent to numerous subdivisions. Residents in the area have turned out for local government meetings in force to protest the project, which they say poses risks to their health, property values and water wells.

Company officials have argued the project would have provided environmental protections for local residents.

Residents have in turn questioned whether the company can be trusted, citing the appeal of two borough-issued citations for blowing garbage in Alaska courts.

The borough board of adjustments upheld the planning commission’s most recent March rejection of the conditional use permit.

The company had sought approval from the planning commission and the DEC in a parallel process, said DEC Southcentral solid waste manager Lori Aldrich. If the company decides to try a third time to construct a monofill at the site along the Glen Highway, they would have to start the DEC permitting process over from scratch.

A window for the Central Monofill Services to seek an appeal in Superior Court at Palmer has not yet closed.