DESOTO COUNTY, MS (abc24.com) - They're checking methane levels and soil content. DeSoto County's old landfill has been closed for more than 20 years. Now there are plans to re-purpose the area.
First, supervisors want to make sure what's buried and gone isn't creating a hazard. The landfill was shut down in 1990. It hasn't been evaluated since the closure. Supervisors will vote later this month on whether to approve a new environmental study.
"We're checking methane levels. We're going to be doing borings and checking soil content and for erosion and any kind of leakage," says supervisor Lee Caldwell.
It's located off Star Landing Road near Highway 51. "There's people there in that community who have wells so we certainly want to check the water. Then there's a mobile home park right there beside it."
"If something was going to happen it would have happened by now," says John Funez, who has lived in the area for more than a decade. "It was an unrestricted landfill at one time, but I have no problems with it and I've lived here for 15 years," he says. "I'm glad to see them do something with that."
The county wants to build what's called an agri-education center. "We'd like to use that to show horses, any kind of farm animals," Caldwell adds. "Also to put pavilions and picnic benches, things like that."
Caldwell says nothing will be built on top of the landfill itself.
"The landfill would just be used for parking. It has a cap on it so we're not allowed to penetrate."
Before any plans are set, though, she wants to see positive results from the environmental study.
"If we never put anything on that land we feel like we owe this to the citizens in the community."
The county lawyer is looking over a contract for the study. It would cost $20,000. Supervisors will vote on it November 19th.
