JURY RULES WALLER COUNTY LANDFILL ILLEGAL

  

The Waller County Commissioners have been told by a Waller County jury that it violated state public information and open meeting laws by passing a 2013 ordinance approving a 15 acre landfill in the county.

The jury ruled that the land fill company, Green Group, was allowed to come into the county through a backroom deal, and residents of the county raised more than half a million dollars to prove the allegation in court.

The lawsuit was filed by the City of Hempstead against Waller County when the country passed as ordinance that will allow a landfill to be established outside the city limits.

The jury ruled that Waller County violated transparency laws in giving approval to the 106 acre landfill.

Most citizens opposed were concerned about the pollution to an aquifer in the Houston Area, and the fact that the 106 acres fell within Hempstead’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, which would be used as the area population increased.

The issues with the proposed project, according to those opposed, was the lack of transparency and open government.

Hempstead has been against the proposed landfill, which would be visible from Highway 290.

Pintail Landfill says that the project will go on despite the verdict, and that he has all of the necessary permits, and had support of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Judge Terry Flenniken is set to issue a final ruling on January 21st of next year. Flenniken will also be deciding whether the county had the authority to approve the project because a large portion of the land fell into Hempstead’s jurisdiction.

This past fall, any politician running for office this past November who approved of the landfill was voted out of office by voters.

 

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