Agreement reached in Coventry landfill expansion

The owner of the Coventry landfill and a local environmental group concerned about proposed expansion plans have reached an agreement.

Officials with the group Don't Undermine Memphremagog's Purity (DUMP) announced the agreement with New England Waste Services of Vermont on Thursday that would dismiss DUMP's appeal of state permits in Environmental Court.

Under the agreement, the 51-acre expansion of the landfill would go forward and the company, a subsidiary of Casella Waste Management, would enhance odor controls and additional conditions on managing leachate to prevent contamination of the lake.

The company was issued an Act 250 permit for the expansion in July, but groups in Vermont and Canada have continued to fight the expansion.

The landfill in Coventry takes close to 80 percent of Vermont's waste.