Westmoreland County, PA — Thursday, a packed room congregated for a state hearing on the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill (WSL) called on Governor Shapiro and his Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to shut down the site, which has polluted communities with radioactive fracking waste for over a decade. WSL currently transports radioactive leachate and other chemically-laced liquid waste to treatment plants, but is seeking a new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge liquid waste directly into the Monongahela River, via a pipeline.

Speakers also called for passage of Senate Bill 455, which would close the leachate loophole that allows the disposal of toxic fossil fuel waste in residual/municipal landfills by classifying it as hazardous. Hazardous waste has stricter regulations than other types of waste. 

Food & Water Watch Western PA Manager Robin Lesko issued the following statement:

“For years, Governor Shapiro’s Department of Environmental Protection has knowingly allowed Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill to expose Pennsylvanians to copious amounts of radioactive fracking waste. To add insult to injury, Shapiro wants to fast track more fossil fuel projects, creating more dangerous waste in these same communities. Residents dealing with horrific smells, mysterious illnesses, and constant pollution deserve better. Governor Shapiro must shut down WSL, and pass Senate Bill 455 to protect communities from radioactive fracking waste for good.”

The calls to protect communities from radioactive fracking waste come as Governor Shapiro endorses controversial statewide fossil fuel infrastructure buildout. Shapiro’s Lightning plan, introduced earlier this year, embraces the rapid buildout of fossil fuel projects, false climate solutions, and opens the floodgates for environmental harm that continues to allow companies to bypass necessary reviews and community input. The fossil fuel industry has targeted Westmoreland County as a growing hotspot for dirty infrastructure development.

The Westmoreland County Landfill has a long track record of pollution. Recent permit citations and violations include:

• May 2019: WSL is ordered by a judge to stop sending liquid waste to Belle Vernon’s Municipal Authority’s water sewage after the waste killed necessary bacteria for processing municipal sewage. Despite finding high levels of salts and radioactive material, DEP officials told Belle Vernon’s operators to continue accepting the landfill’s waste. 
• February 2020: WSL is fined $24,000 for improper handling of leachate contaminated with oil and gas waste. 
• April 2021: WSL is fined $25,000 for violations of the state’s Waste Transportation Act from Dec. 31, 2018, to July 2019. 
• August 2022: WSL is cited for contaminating Speers Run, a tributary of the Monongahela, with radioactive leachate. 
• November 2023: WSL is fined over $62,000 for violating the state Solid Waste Management Act and Clean Streams Law.
• September 2024: WSL retracts their permit to build a controversial leachate evaporator after a Westmoreland non-profit sued over the plans. DEP had originally approved the plan in January 2024. 

DEP will accept comments on Westmoreland County Landfill’s draft NPDES permit until April 3.