Closed Landfills

In 1993 and 1999 the Texas Legislature passed two bills, House Bill 2537 and Senate Bill 1447 respectively, requiring Councils of Governments to develop an inventory of closed municipal solid waste landfills, map the sites as possible, and notify both current landowners and County Clerks of the presence of the landfills when the exact boundaries could be determined.

Accessing Information About Closed Landfills in the Region

The information gathered and documents produced during these efforts are available for download by finding a site of interest using H-GAC’s Closed Landfill Inventory Map. This inventory contains sites in the 13-county H-GAC region. The information for each may include a summary report, a full report, map, and pictures. Not all file types are available for all sites.

Screenshot of H-GAC's Closed Landfill Inventory App

If you already know the site ID that you are interested in, you can use our Closed Landfill Information Request form to receive the information on a particular closed landfill.

Research and Methodology

The inventory research and the compiling of documents and files that are now available for download regarding the closed landfills occurred over a span of 19 months in 2000-2002. The process included the review and compilation of files at TCEQ Central Records, conducting of site visits of identified sites, review of historical and current aerial photography, obtaining of property owner information, and creation of site and landfill boundary maps as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a closed municipal solid waste landfill?

According to 30 Texas Administrative Code §330.951, a closed municipal solid waste landfill is a discrete area of land or an excavation that has received only municipal solid waste or municipal solid waste combined with other solid wastes, including but not limited to construction/demolition waste, commercial waste, nonhazardous sludge, conditionally exempt small-quantity generator hazardous waste, and industrial solid waste, and that is not a land application unit, surface impoundment, injection well, or waste pit as those terms are defined by 40 Code of Federal Regulations §257.2.

What does the "U" stand for in some site IDs?

The "U" indicates that the site was unpermitted, although it is possible for a site to have been given a site ID with a "U" initially, and then have been given a new number without the "U" once it was permitted. Instances where this may have been the case are indicated in the files with the site being identified as a possible duplicate of another site.

Is development allowed on a closed landfill?

Yes, but there are requirements that must be complied with. Visit 30 Texas Administrative Code §330.951 – §330.964 to view the rules. Also check out TCEQ’s webpage that explains the process.

Who is responsible for cleaning up the sites?

Cleanup was not included in the legislation. New legislation would have to be passed requiring cleanup of sites.

What happens if a closed landfill was identified on a piece of property but there never was a landfill?

There is an appeal process if a property owner wants to dispute the identification of a closed landfill on their property. The property owner may offer proof that the waste was removed from the site and/or sign an affidavit attesting that the property was never used as a landfill. However, the TCEQ ultimately makes the decision.

Can H-GAC remove sites from the inventory?

No. H-GAC can recommend the removal of a site to TCEQ, but TCEQ will make the final decision. Adequate proof must be provided that documents the suspected landfill never existed.

Disclaimer

This Closed or Abandoned Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Inventory was prepared from information furnished by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), permitting records on file with TCEQ and the Texas Department of Health, and from aerial photography and GIS data developed by H-GAC.

The county map, individual site maps, and legal descriptions of the closed or abandoned municipal solid waste landfills represent TCEQ’s and H-GAC’s best judgment about the landfills’ location, but neither TCEQ nor H-GAC warrants the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of the maps or legal descriptions.

Moreover, because TCEQ and H-GAC have inventoried only known municipal solid waste landfills, TCEQ and H-GAC make no representation about whether a specific tract of land may overlie an unknown municipal or other solid waste landfill.