Landfill traffic draws attention

Neighbors of the long-dormant Morgan County landfill have wondered about the upsurge in traffic on Milo School Road, west of Great Cacapon, since the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection started their landfill closure project there in August.

The dump, which closed to public use in 1993, is being capped and closed for good by the state agency. Contractor A.L.L. Construction, Inc. of Mount Storm is doing the $3.35 million site work.

People who live near the dump have wondered why heavy trucks have been going to the landfill at odd hours – some around midnight – and what the trucks are hauling.

Project Supervisor Mark Church said the project engineer reported a lot of truck activity associated with some limited logging and mulching at the work site. Several trucks have hauled out larger logs, and loads of mulch generated by shredding some small trees and branches at the old dump. Project officials said the trucks might be operating at unusual hours to avoid heavier traffic during the daytime.

Work on the project must be completed before April 2012.

In addition to installing a plastic cap over the garbage, workers are also placing drain pipe at the perimeter of the landfill to catch any water that may have come into contact with the mounds of trash.