Keegan Landfill, last in the Meadowlands, to be permanently closed under deal with Murphy

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The last landfill in the Meadowlands will be capped and permanently closed under a settlement reached this week between local officials and Gov. Phil Murphy's administration following a long court battle.

Residents hope the closure of the Keegan Landfill in Kearny will end the waves of noxious fumes that a judge said "represents a clear and immediate danger" to the health of those who live nearby.

“Our nightmare will come to an end,” Kearny Mayor Al Santos said.

Murphy had been criticized for keeping the landfill open despite his pledge to seek environmental justice in communities like Kearny that have been historically overburdened with pollution.

Murphy announced the deal on WBGO-FM on Thursday night after the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority approved it earlier in the day. The Authority had fought to keep the landfill open. It generated more than $17 million in tipping fees for the authority in 2018.

Under the deal, tons of clean soil will be placed on Keegan. The west side of the landfill will be capped within a year. The east side, which requires more soil, will be capped by 2021, Santos said.

Hydrogen sulfide fumes are the result of decomposing Sheetrock at Keegan, which accepts mostly construction debris.

Together NJSEA and Kearny will create a plan to close and cap the landfill in a responsible way and create future recreational access to the Kearny Marsh. — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) December 20, 2019

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Beyond an unpleasant smell, breathing in low concentrations of the gas can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, along with difficulty breathing for some asthmatics, as well as headaches, fatigue and balance problems, according to health officials.

In September, Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Jablonski ordered Keegan permanently closed, saying the NJSEA showed a "conspicuous lack of attention to the obvious concerns" expressed by nearby residents. The NJSEA appealed the ruling.

Residents have been demonstrating and flooding the offices of the NJSEA during its regular meetings demanding that the landfill be closed.

Settlement talks began in recent weeks and came to fruition over the last few days, Santos said.

Scott Fallon covers the environment for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news about how New Jersey’s environment affects your health and well-being, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: fallon@northjersey.com Twitter: @newsfallon