Conservation Law Foundation v. Broadrock Gas Services, LLC

After reaching a settlement, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and the owners and operators of the Central Landfill in Johnston, Rhode Island agreed to dismissal with prejudice of CLF’s citizen suit under the Clean Air Act. The stipulation of dismissal was entered by the federal district court for the District of Rhode Island on July 6, 2016. CLF had charged that pollutants emitted from the landfill “pose risks to human health, cause foul odors in areas surrounding the Landfill, and contribute to climate change,” and that the landfill was violating multiple provisions of the Clean Air Act. CLF said that the settlement agreement required the defendants to hire an engineering firm to perform an assessment and recommend projects that will enhance gas generation and the performance of the landfill gas collection system, and that the parties would evaluate the firm’s recommendations and undertake projects. CLF also reported that for the first time the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management intended to issue a single Clean Air Act operating permit to govern the landfill.