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It’s not a done deal as Cumberland County just received a second conditional use permit application for the proposed Green Ridge landfill.  What this means is that the approval of the application starts over with it being reviewed by the Planning Commission and being forwarded to the Board of Supervisors with their recommendation.  Both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors are required to hold public hearings on the project.  The Planning Commission met on Dec. 30, 2024, and set a tentative schedule for their review process.     

For Cumberland residents, this is an opportunity to speak up by contacting members of the Planning Commission and Cumberland County Board of Supervisors.  Residents can let them know if they are in favor of protecting our environment and not ruining our rural way of life, our health, our safety, our water.  

The length of time it is taking for Green Ridge to get this project up and running raises questions because it is almost seven years now since the initial conditional use permit was approved for this proposed landfill.  Cumberland County is in a better place today with upward trends in housing as more and more people want the many advantages of living in a rural area.  The Board of Supervisors has established a new committee to look at bringing needed businesses into the county (not landfills), the EMS system is being revamped, the radio system for our law enforcement and others is being upgraded – all these positive changes without income from the proposed landfill operation.   

 DEQ states on their website their responsibility is the protection of natural resources for the residents—is this proposed landfill protecting us and the environment or harmful? Take a minute and think about that in conjunction with the potential of harm to our private well water, land, wetlands, wildlife, and rural living.

Reflect on this letter and then ask yourself – would you want the proposed dump in your back yard?

Betty Myers
Cartersville