Attorney General Miyares and the City of Bristol Reach Agreement Over Bristol Landfill

RICHMOND, VA – Attorney General Jason Miyares announced today that Judge Jenkins of the Richmond City Circuit Court entered a consent decree between the City of Bristol, Virginia and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), represented by the Office of the Attorney General. 

"I've traveled to Bristol, talked to Virginians, and our neighbors in Tennessee, firsthand about the issue caused by the Bristol landfill. I'm thrilled that my office has been able to reach an agreement with the City of Bristol, which will bring relief and solutions to the community. Additionally, because this consent decree has been signed by the court, it will hold the City accountable to the promises they've made,” said Attorney General Miyares. 

"We are pleased to hear Judge Jenkins has made the Bristol Landfill consent decree official,” said DEQ Director Michael Rolband. "It culminates a long process and shows the dedication from both DEQ and the Office of the Attorney General to assure the citizens of Bristol that we will not stop until this issue is resolved. There is a lot more work that needs to be done on-site, but we can pause to celebrate this step in the process.”

The consent decree holds the City of Bristol accountable for the following regarding the Bristol landfill and will help improve landfill and area living conditions. 

• Bristol, VA is halfway through implementing the Sidewall Odor Mitigation System ("SOMS”) to eliminate the odor issues. The deadline for completion is June 14, 2023 and the city is on track to meet that deadline.
• Bristol, VA has submitted the Ethyl Vinyl Alcohol ("EVOH”) cover system deployment plan. The cover would tie into the liner of the landfill.
• The Stormwater Management Plan is due April 30^th. 
• Well drilling started the week of March 27^th. The city is drilling 31 wells total, and these wells will remove both gas and liquids from the landfill.  

Bristol, VA must submit monthly compliance reports and March's report is due April 10^th.

Read the consent decree HERE.

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