Georgia lawmakers approved a bill loosening permit requirements for inert landfills while grandfathering in certain previously-permitted landfill operators.
House Bill 320 sponsor Rep. Buddy Harden, R-Cordele, has said previous law was too stringent in its oversight of inert landfills — which contain yard debris, asphalt and tree cuttings — subjecting private property owners to steep fines if they didn’t seek a permit for burying those materials.
Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, said Thursday the state lacks the number of Environmental Protection Division inspectors needed to monitor the state’s inert landfills, thus grandfathering in those in compliance with rules as they existed in January 2012 was necessary.
“If you run a good ship, you run a good business, you’re in compliance and you’re certified by engineers, you can keep doing business as you were, under the permit that you had,” Tolleson said.
The bill was approved unanimously at 165 to 0 in the House for final passage.
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