GFL Environmental has quietly filed a permit application to permanently destroy over 33 acres of local wetlands to clear the way for a proposed landfill north of the Arbor Hills site.
To meet regulatory requirements, GFL plans to construct roughly 64 acres of replacement wetlands near Six Mile and Currie Roads—about a mile from the project site—which they claim will eventually become a community park.
This project fits a frustrating pattern: Northville shoulders the environmental burden of a new landfill, while Salem gets rewarded with a new park.
Washtenaw County should be better than this!
The Aggressive Timeline
GFL is pushing a fast-tracked schedule:
Late 2027: Move heavy machinery onto the site to begin earthwork.
Spring 2028: Construct the first landfill cell, alongside the replacement wetlands.
Why This Concerns Us
No wetland clearing or heavy earthwork associated with the proposed landfill should begin until GFL has secured all legally required approvals, including permits (Air Pollution, Construction, etc.) for the new landfill. GFL must not be allowed to permanently destroy existing wetlands until full legal approval is granted.
Figure 1 - Runoff from the new landfill will be routed to this Cold Water Trout Stream tributary. Source: ECT Wetlands Determination, May 2, 2024
A Few Details from the Drawings
The proposed landfill will be 200 ft high; the compost yard will be eliminated; landfill runoff will be directed into a Johnson Creek tributary; and it borders wetlands to the north. And GFL’s own alternatives analysis considered landfill configurations that would eliminate Six Mile Road.
This Permit Is Not a Done Deal
Because GFL proposes to permanently destroy more than 33 acres of regulated wetlands, this is a major wetland-permit proceeding and will require public notice. Residents will have an opportunity to submit formal comments to EGLE and can request a public hearing. Those comments can challenge the demonstrated need for the project, GFL’s alternatives analysis, the environmental impacts, and proposed permit conditions.
TCI will share the EGLE public-comment information as soon as the notice is issued.
Action Needed: Speak Up Now!
GFL is expected to present details about the proposed landfill at the next committee meeting, with a decisive vote on the project slated for December.
Make your voice heard at the upcoming meeting:
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 9th at 10:00 AM
Location: Washtenaw County Learning Resource Center
Address: 4135 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
For more context, review the permit application narrative, wetland determination, and proposed new landfill drawings linked here.