ABBEVILLE, La. — The Vermilion Parish Police Jury is seeking to modify their landfill permit after accepting significantly more waste than currently allowed.
According to the landfill’s 2025 permit renewal application, the Vermilion Parish Police Jury is authorized to take in 21,900 wet tons of waste annually. However, landfill supervisor Billy Noegel confirmed the actual amount received is closer to 112,000 tons which is roughly five times the permitted volume.
“We were taking in more than we we're permitted to take in,” Noegel said.
When asked if this meant the landfill had been operating in violation of its permit, Noegel responded, “Right.”
Noegel emphasized that the requested modification would not result in any increase in waste intake but would instead align the paperwork with the landfill’s current operations.
“We’re not asking to increase our intake,” Noegel said. “We notify them every year of what we take in. Basically, we have underestimated in years past.”
The renewal numbers caught some nearby neighbors off guard.
“I haven’t heard anything,” said Lyman Meaux, who lives adjacent to the landfill and has been on his property since before the facility was built. “Vermilion Parish is a big parish, it has a lot of subdivisions, it has a lot of trash and it all comes here.”
Meaux said he supports the landfill as long as it stays within legal limits.
“As long as they stay within the parameters of what they can put … I want them to stay within the rules,” he said.
Across the street, resident Stephan Quibodeaux voiced similar concerns.
“I’ve been living here 52 years,” Quibodeaux said. “This is alarming. This is prime property over here. This is good high land, it’s one of the highest points in Vermilion Parish. I just don’t see how it can continue here.”
Noegel did not explain what caused the years of underreporting. When asked what would happen if the permit modification isn’t approved, he said, “We will have to get back to the drawing board.”
The public is allowed to submit comments and request a hearing on the proposed change. The deadline is September 24 at 4:30 p.m.
More information and comment submission links can be found below.
Click here to learn more.
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