Approximately a year after the Green Ridge landfill was permitted to move forward, Green Ridge, owned by County Waste of Virginia, is in the process of finalizing information needed to submit the solid waste permit to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Those opposed to the landfill are reflecting on the year and are mobilizing efforts to halt it.

The conditional use permit, the rezoning request and the community host agreement for the Green Ridge landfill was approved by members of the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors on June 29, 2018.

The rezoning request and conditional use permit were received by Cumberland County on May 25, 2018. A community meeting took place on June 7, 2018. There was a public hearing from the Cumberland County Planning Commission on June 14, a continued meeting was held June 18, and a regular meeting on June 25.

The acreage for the Green Ridge site, according to the website and permit, is estimated to be a total 1,143 acres, located off Route 60 at the Cumberland and Powhatan county line. Between 500 to 650 acres is estimated for use as solid waste disposal cells, according to the Green Ridge website. The remaining 500-600 acreage is reserved for buffer.

Green Ridge spokesperson Jay Smith said in a recent phone interview the archeological study of the site needs to be completed before the company can submit the solid waste permit to the DEQ.

The firm Browning & Associates is conducting the archeological study, Smith said.

Once the study is completed and the report is made available to the public, Smith said they can file the Part A portion of the application within the next few months.

“We’re certainly wanting to get that finished as soon as we can, but we also don’t want to rush the process,” Smith said. “We want to make sure the archeologists have enough time to do a proper assessment and a proper report.”

Smith said the application has a Part A portion and a Part B portion.

‘JUST SHOW UP’

Members of the Cumberland County Landfill Alert (CCLA) organization, made up of Cumberland County residents and residents of surrounding counties, held a meeting on June 9 to discuss actions related to halting the landfill project. Because it had been a year since the landfill was approved, members reflected on the year and how it’s impacted them and Cumberland County.

Speakers addressed how stressful the situation has been. They spoke about phone calls to state officials and missing family events in order to attend county or state meetings related to the project. They spoke about how the landfill could impact the environment and affect the health and quality of living for their families, neighbors and community youth.

That Monday, participants carpooled to Richmond to attend a Virginia Waste Management Board meeting, Schools said. During the meeting, eight members of CCLA spoke about the Green Ridge project. Cumberland residents and representatives of the Agee, Miller, Mayo, Dungy (AMMD) project to preserve Pine Grove School also attended.

CCLA organizer Christal Schools encouraged people to keep being active.

“Just show up,” Schools said. “You don’t have to speak … Just your presence says something.”

Geralyn Tavernier with Ron Tavernier, her husband, spoke about the stress the landfill decision has caused, Geralyn said the stress has added to her health issues. Geralyn, with other speakers, encouraged people to remain involved.

“Let’s fight the good fight,” she said. She encouraged people to be active in the county election in November.

Muriel Miller Branch with AMMD spoke during the meeting. Pine Grove School in Cumberland County is located in close proximity to the Green Ridge project.

Pine Grove School is one of several dozen schools for African American students built with funds from philanthropist and president of Sears Roebuck, Julius Rosenwald. The issue was addressed by Cumberland residents due to its proximity to the proposed landfill site. A letter from Justin Serafin, director of preservation initiatives and engagement from Preservation Virginia, said last year that the Pine Grove School was one of 360 schoolhouses of its kind built in Virginia. Of the 360, it’s likely that less than a quarter of the schools remain intact.

County Waste of Virginia representatives said in a question and answer sheet listed on the Cumberland County website in June 2018 that the facility is expected to have little impact in the area of the school as it is located on the other side of Route 654, but that officials understood the concern and would support restoration efforts to the school.

Smith, when asked about Pine Grove School and if County Waste of Virginia has supported efforts, said it is open to conversation from organizations Pine Grove School restoration.

Branch said that environmental and civil rights issues have been intertwined for residents in the county. Pine Grove School was built due to segregation prior to Brown v. Board of Education.

“My family has been fighting this fight for a long, long time,” Branch said. “This is not new to us.”