Pearland City Council is taking action against the Blue Ridge Landfill in neighboring Fort Bend County in an attempt to alleviate the odors that periodically waft over homes and businesses in Shadow Creek Ranch.

At its April 10 meeting, council members approved a resolution to petition the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to immediately suspend the operating permit for Blue Ridge Landfill.

The push to suspend the landfill’s operating permit comes after the TCEQ cited it for allegedly emitting nuisance odors and for its alleged failure to perform air emissions monitoring in compliance with state requirements, according to TCEQ documents. The TCEQ alleged the landfill had misreported emissions for six quarters.

The landfill was given a fine of $43,712 along with a list of self-monitoring enforcement measures.

Investigators found 136 methane emission exceedances at the landfill last year and at one point recorded methane at 165,500 parts per million, exceeding the 500 ppm threshold Hydrogen sulfide, which gives off a foul odor, was found at elevated levels at the landfill. On two instances, levels were so high the analyzer, which only measures up to 50 ppm, maxed out, according to TCEQ documents.

“The permit process needs review, and the consequences of the unfunded regulatory oversight are violating the private property rights of Texans,” Shadow Creek Ranch resident Ed Mears said.

As of April 7, Blue Ridge Landfill signed a TCEQ order; it denied all allegations but agreed to several provisions, like creating a plan to come into compliance, 24-hour odor surveillance and a complaint hotline.

The landfill implemented some infrastructure improvements since May, including modified sump pumps and expansion of a gas collection system.