An Illinois appellate court has upheld the City of Joliet’s decision two years ago to reject an expansion permit that would have permitted CDT Landfill to continue operating.
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The decision, handed down by the 3rd District Appellate Court in Ottawa earlier this month, brings to an end a long legal battle between the city and Danny Geiss, president of CDT Landfill Corp.
Although the company has the option of appealing the decision to the Illinois Supreme Court, Geiss indicated on Wednesday that his firm is not likely to pursue the matter.
CDT had sought an expansion permit in 1997 that would have permitted the company to add 24 acres to the landfill along Mound Road in southwest Joliet and increase its height by 66 feet.
The expansion, according to the company, would have extended the life of the landfill by about seven years.
The City Council rejected the permit request, contending that the expansion was not needed.
The council’s decision was affirmed by the Illinois Pollution Control Board in March 1998. It ruled that CDT had not proved its case for an expansion or provided sufficient assurances that the expansion would not hurt the environment of the surrounding area.
The landfill, the last remaining within city limits, reached capacity in April.
Employees, who numbered as many as 25 when the landfill was operating at peak capacity, will gradually be reduced to just a few who will operate a recycling center, compost plant and garbage transfer station, Geiss said.
The closing of the landfill means that garbage from Joliet will have to be shipped Downstate at a higher cost for the time being. A landfill is proposed for the planned industrial park on Joliet Arsenal property.