Waller County Commissioners Court was set to vote on a resolution Nov. 14 in opposition to the proposed Pintail Landfill in Hempstead, but tabled the item because it was not reviewed by the court's legal counsel prior to the meeting.

The proposed Pintail Landfill would be located at the corner of Hwy. 290 and Hwy. 6, and would hold between 35 and 38 million cubic yards of trash that would come from a 45-mile radius, which includes Cy-Fair. The landfill, which would be built by Georgia-based Green Group Holdings, will consist of 790 acres, 250 of which would hold the waste. Only household and business waste—no hazardous material or sewer sludge—would be accepted.

According to the citizen's group known as Citizens Against the Landfill in Hempstead, in August 2011 the county passed an ordinance regarding the location of future landfill sites. In July 2012, legal counsel for Waller County submitted a request to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the agency's executive director deny both the proposed permit for the landfill and the registration for a transfer station, because Pintail did not have a permit application or registration request as of the date of the ordinance, according to the group.

During the meeting, about a dozen concerned citizens expressed discontent over the landfill, citing issues ranging from air quality to traffic to potential ground water contamination.

"In the case of this proposed landfill, which would be a threat to our health, safety and quality of life now and for generations to follow, you, the commissioners court, are our first responders to this," said county resident Kelvin Kirby. "We are asking you to fulfill your duties to protect and safeguard the public health, safety and welfare of this community."

Mark LeBlanc spoke on behalf of bicyclists who ride throughout Waller County, saying he was concerned about air quality as the landfill grows, along with any increased traffic from the trucks that will travel to and from the site.

"You've got tens of thousands of cyclists who come into Waller County every year, and they do spend money here," he said. "One of the main reasons they come to Waller County is because it's a jewel. I like to call it the last bastion in the greater Houston area—it has prime conditions both natural and those the county has done."

Resident Rick Welch spoke about the potential contamination of ground water from the landfill, as the proposed site is located near a recharge zone for the Chicot Aquifer. All the drinkable water in Hempstead gets recharged on that property and flows down to the wells from which people drink, he said.

"It is vital that we stop this landfill for the health and safety of this county and northwest Harris County," Welch said.

Waller County Judge Glenn Beckendorff said they expect to have a recommendation from legal counsel regarding the proposed resolution in about a week. The Houston-Galveston Area Council and the state of Texas must approve the project before a permit can be issued. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will host a public hearing on the proposed landfill at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at Hempstead High School.