Mill Seat Landfill

Mill Seat Landfill Cover Soil Borrow Area Proposed Permit Modification

Monroe County will be submitting a Permit Modification Application to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to allow for continued access to soils needed for the currently permitted landfill operations. This permit application is only associated with daily landfill operations which includes on-site soil excavation.

Engineering estimates indicate the need for an additional 1.1 million cubic yards of soil. The proposed permit modification will involve approximately 63 acres contiguous to the current soil borrow area south of the existing landfill within property already owned by the county. The proposed soils accessed will be utilized for landscaping and landfill cover through closure of the currently permitted facility.

The permitting process will occur over the next 18 to 24 months. This process includes public participation opportunities related to continued soil use operations. Future meeting information and related documents will be posted as necessary.

Questions may be directed to Russell Rutkowski, Associate Engineer, Monroe County at 585-753-7515.

SEQR Positive Declaration - Construction and operation of soil borrow areas and associated facilites at the Monroe County Mill Seat Landfill.

Draft Scoping Document Proposed Soil Borrow Area - Mill Seat Landfill

Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) - Mill Seat Landfill

DSEIS Text

DSEIS Figures

DSEIS Tables

DSEIS Appendix A

DSEIS Appendix B

DSEIS Appendix C

DSEIS Appendix D

DSEIS Appendix E

DSEIS Appendix F

DSEIS Appendix G - Text

DSEIS Appendix G - Figures

DSEIS Appendix G - Attachments A B C

DSEIS Appendix G - Attachment D

DSEIS Appendix G - Attachment E

DSEIS Appendix G - Attachment F

Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) - Mill Seat Landfill

FSEIS Text to Appendix D

FSEIS Appendix E

FSEIS Appendix F

FSEIS Appendix G

FSEIS Appendix H1 (the first part of appendix H)

FSEIS Appendix H2 (the second part of appendix H)

FSEIS Appendix I 

Mill Seat Landfill Gas Facility

On June 11th, 2007, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks was joined by Waste Management District Manager Jeff Richardson as well as local officials to officially open Monroe County’s first-ever public/private partnership gas-to-electric plant at the Mill Seat Landfill in the Town of Riga. The new power plant will produce 4.8 megawatts of power, and turns waste into watts through the utilization of methane gas generated from the Mill Seat Landfill.    

Monroe County has partnered with Waste Management to operate the Mill Seat Landfill, and produce a renewable energy resource that will further move Monroe County towards greater energy independence. This program reinforces the County Executive’s strong commitment to our region’s natural environment, and further establishes Monroe County as one of New York State’s leaders in promoting the use of alternative energy.

The $9.5 million dollar facility has been financed through the New York Power Authority on a low interest loan. Congressman Reynolds was instrumental in obtaining $300,000 in funding through former Governor George Pataki for the project, and has supported the project through his efforts in Washington. In addition, Senator Jim Alesi and the New York Power Authority have also provided low-cost financing and a direct $200,000 grant to develop the power plant.  

The new 10,000 sq. ft. renewable energy facility constructed at the Mill Seat Landfill houses six Caterpillar 3516 engines. These engines will generate nearly 4.8 megawatts of energy - enough to replace more than 110,000 barrels of oil – and to generate electricity for more than 4,000 homes. 

Energy is produced at Mill Seat following the decomposition of organic waste material located within the landfill. A unique facet of this project is the introduction of biosolids (sewage sludge) from the County’s two wastewater treatment plants to the landfill’s solid waste. The decomposition of this mixture enhances the production of methane gas, which is extracted and transported to the landfill gas energy facility through a series of wells and pipes.   The gas is de-watered, filtered and pressurized at the facility, and is then piped to the generators, where the fuel turns the engines to produce electricity. Biosolids methane enhancement is achieved adding additional moisture and organics to the dry garbage. This process allowed Monroe County to end the costly and emission-producing practice of biosolids incineration-another environmental win.  

Once the energy is produced at the landfill, it will be released via transmission line into the New York power pool for redistribution. Utility companies would then have the option to purchase this “green energy” from Mill Seat.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the energy produced from a 4.8 megawatt facility such as Mill Seat world produce the following benefits:

·         Removing emissions equivalent to 53,575 vehicles

·         Planting 76,345 acres of forest

·         Offsetting the use of 1,369 railcars of coal

·         Averting electricity usage of 500,623 light bulbs

Finally, the EPA also estimates that a 4.8 megawatt facility would consume 12,749 tons of methane gas annually, while saving 37,647 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. 

Mill Seat Facts and Figures

Permit to Operate: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Effective: August 1, 2001 through July 31, 2011
Permitted Footprint Area: 95 acres of a 615-acre site

Facts of Interest

Environmental Monitoring

Quarterly environmental monitoring and testing is performed under the direction of the Monroe County Department of Health. This work includes the monitoring and testing of 42 groundwater monitoring wells, six off-site homeowner wells and 10 surface water sites (2 on-site storm water retention ponds and eight sites in adjacent wetlands and Hotel Creek), leachate, air quality and noise.

Host Community Benefits

• Annual Payments Made During Operation Years:
• Town of Riga—minimum $450,000
• Bergen Fire Department (Maintenance and Capital Reserve Fee)
• Byron-Bergen Central School District to support environmental education efforts.
• Property Value Protection Program provided for homes located in the landfill’s immediate vicinity as of its construction permit date.
• Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) was formed to serve as liaison between the County of Monroe and the local community. The CAB meets at the landfill a minimum of four times-per-year to receive operational updates and discuss related issues.
• Water service provided to homes near the landfill plus connection to the Bergen Water System.

Learn more about the Mill Seat Landfill.