Many county residents addressed Northampton County Council at its Oct. 19 to oppose the expansion of a Lower Saucon Township landfill expansion.

Residents expressed their concerns about the odor emanating from the landfill. They were also concerned about heavy rains washing dirt and other waste into waterways.

The Bethlehem Landfill Company filed a conditional use application Jan. 6 associated with the lateral and overlay expansion of the landfill located at 2335 Applebutter Road.

Phase V of the landfill expansion proposed “117.4 acres of lateral expansion and 26.74 acres atop previously permitted line disposable area.”

Council previously opposed the expansion at their March 2 meeting and adopted Resolution 18-2023, which sought party status to intervene in the conditional use hearing.

In response to their original ordinance being invalidated, Lower Saucon Township enacted ordinance 2023-05, which would allow landfills and waste disposal facilities as a use permitted by right.

This ordinance also “deprives the public and the County of Northampton of the right to participate in a public hearing on the proposed Bethlehem Landfill expansion” and removes the conditional use proceeding in which the County had been granted party status.

Council voted 5-2 to reaffirm the findings set out in Resolution 18-2023; the resolutions stated that the county believes landfill expansion is not in the best interest of Northampton County.

Councilmembers John Goffredo and Thomas Giovanni voted against the resolution.

“Council is not a body that determines zoning. That’s a municipality issue, and we shouldn’t be involved in that,” said councilman Giovanni.

On the other side, Lori Vargo-Heffner felt opposing the landfill expansion was the right thing to do. She agreed, however, that county council has no authority in zoning.

Council Member Tara Zrinski reminded her colleagues that this resolution is about if the county wants a seat at the table, not if they agree or disagree with the landfill’s expansion.