GROVE CITY — A citizens group is again voicing its environmental concerns over a proposed landfill on Route 208.

The group issued a statement citing potential traffic congestion, water and air pollution, as well as problems with birds.

The Citizen's Environmental Association of Slippery Rock, headed by president Bruce Cummings, is opposed to the landfill plan by Tri-County Industries.

"We live on my wife's father's farm, and her land adjoins the property where the landfill exists," Cummings said. "That's where my wife and our children grew up and we still live there. It's just not a good location for a trash mountain."

The state Department of Environmental Protection recently approved the long proposed Tri-County Landfill in Pine and Liberty townships.

The application had been held up in the past over various concerns, including the potential of birds colliding with airplanes. The landfill would be on Route 208 near the Prime Outlets and Grove City Airport.

After receiving new information, the DEP concluded that a plan to control birds at the site was sufficient.

Tri-County originally submitted its application Aug. 23, 2004, to operate a municipal landfill in Liberty and Pine townships within 6,600 feet of the airport.

The original application was denied in November 2006 because of the bird-aircraft collision hazard, said Freda Tarbell, communications relations coordinator for the DEP.

In a news release from the citizens group, Cummings said the group has a lawsuit against the Liberty Township supervisors regarding the landfill permit.

"The supervisors signed a contract with Tri-County, allowing them to lay pipe along the road right-of-way, to dump daily leachate into Wolf Creek," Cummings claimed in the news release. "Residents believe this is a violation of their rights."

Liberty Township Supervisor Ronald Faull said the supervisors "don't have anything to say about" the landfill proposition.

"That's the DEP's decision, and we don't care either way," Faull said.

The release also claims Tri-County's new plan to deal with the birds involves depositing wet garbage at night and covering it with dry construction during the day.

"When the wallboard in the construction waste gets wet, deadly hydrogen sulfide gases are produced, which smell like rotten eggs," Cummings claimed in the news release.

Rep. Dick Stevenson, R-8th, said he has always opposed the landfill and will continue to hold that position.

"It would be problematic for the area, one major problem being the additional truck traffic as the waste is brought into the site," Stevenson said. "It will increase traffic near the Prime Outlets at the Interstate 79 interchange, and further, I understand they will be backfilling at the site at night, and I am concerned about the noise and lights disturbing the residential community that surrounds the landfill."

Stevenson concluded by saying there are many issues that have not been resolved.

Ed Vogel, vice president of Tri-County Industries, said he hopes to work with the DEP and residents to build a good project.

"They implement these kinds of programs at the Atlantic City Airport where they have landfills right off the runway, and it's an international airport with thousands of flights," Vogel said. "They landfill at night and that's where the concept came from, so we are not the first ones to do this."

Mercer County Commissioner Brian Beader said he has not yet discussed the DEP's decision with the board.

Commissioner Kenneth Ammann said he thinks the landfill will not be a detriment to the community.

"It will probably improve operations in Mercer County," Ammann said. "Tri-County is our county recycling facilitator, and I am hoping that it helps keep costs down to our residents to rely on a local business."

Ammann also said he hasn't heard from any citizens on the environmental issues.

Commissioner John Lechner said leaders always have to take environmental issues into consideration for the sake of the residents.

"When you have landfills, it's definitely a careful line you have to walk because we need a place to have refuse and make sure it won't have a negative impact on people living there," Lechner said. "We need to monitor what goes into the landfills and make sure the company is in compliance because that is in everyone's greatest interest."

In January 2005, the commissioners felt differently about the landfill, issuing a formal letter of opposition to the Tri-County permit with specific concerns that it could have a negative impact on economic growth in the community. It also cited Prime Outlets as a major tourist destination that could be negatively affected, according to the letter.

Tri-County previously operated a landfill at the site, but it has not accepted solid waste for disposal at the Mercer County property since 1990 when more stringent landfill regulations went into effect.

The company continues to operate a waste transfer station at the site.