Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Areas Post-Closure Plans
This guidance document is advisory in nature but is binding on an agency until amended by such agency. A guidance document does not include internal procedural documents that only affect the internal operations of the agency and does not impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties or include confidential information or rules and regulations made in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. If you believe that this guidance document imposes additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties, you may request a review of the document.

Form #: 06-244 Guidance Documents Revised: 1/13/23


Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Areas
Post-Closure Plans


This document provides guidance addressing the information requested in a permit application with respect to the post closure plan in a municipal solid waste disposal area application. This document supplements the EPA’s Solid Waste Disposal Facility Criteria – A Technical Manual. Both documents should be used when preparing the information in the permit application. The manual is available from the National Technical Information Service at the following telephone numbers: 1-800-553-NTIS or 703-487-4650, The order number is PB94-100-450.

Title 132 – Integrated Solid Waste Management Regulations requires solid waste disposal areas to submit a post-closure plan for approval. The approved plan must be included in the facilities operating record. All revisions to the plan shall be submitted to the Department for approval and included in the operating record. The post-closure plan includes procedures for inspections; maintenance and repair of the final cover; maintenance and repair of the surface water control structures; access control; a description of maintenance and monitoring of the leachate collection system; maintenance and semiannual sampling of the ground water monitoring wells; and maintenance and quarterly sampling of the gas monitoring system.
  1. The description of the annual inspection must include the procedures followed to conduct the inspection, time of year the inspection is to be performed, recording of the inspection, schedule to perform maintenance or repairs to the cover and surface water control structures, access control and posted signs. It is recommenced that inspections of the final cover be conducted in late spring to allow inspection of vegetative survival and also after extreme weather events. This will allow summer months for final cover repair and fall time periods for reseeding of any areas reworked or repaired. All repair work should be performed according to procedures utilized in the construction to ensure compliance with the Construction Quality Assurance Plan. The post-closure plan should also include a schedule for controlling the growth of weeds, trees, shrubs, and a schedule for controlling rodents, vectors, and animal biotic intrusions. Annual inspections and all maintenance or repairs must be recorded with the time, date, and extent of repairs noted in the operating record. The post-closure plan must also include a description of the method of recording inspections and maintenance and repairs in the operating record or provide a sample form that will be used.

  2. Maintenance and operation of any leachate collection system must be described in detail in the post-closure plan. This should provide for frequency of monitoring, operating, cleaning of collection lines or other maintenance, and testing of leachate. The post-closure plan should also describe pump maintenance, pump repair and replacement, leachate lagoon repair and maintenance, and leachate removal and treatment, if applicable. If a change in frequency of any activities is planned during the post-closure period, a description of the method used to determine the necessity or feasibility of the change must be described in the plan.


  3. A description of the monitoring and maintenance of the gas management system must be included in the post-closure plan. This should describe the inspection and monitoring frequency, procedures for sampling, recording of sampling events in the operational record, and reporting to the Department. The gas monitoring activities should follow the approved Sampling and Analysis Plan. If methane gas levels exceed the specified limits, the procedures to follow should be identified.

  4. A description of maintenance and sampling of the ground water monitoring system and gas monitoring system must be included in the plan. This should describe sampling parameters, methods, recording of events in the operational record and reporting to the Department. Expected maintenance of the monitoring system should be described in the post-closure plan, such as well replacement, pump or sampling equipment maintenance or replacement. The ground water sampling should follow the approved Sampling and Analysis Plan. The plan should provide for adequate record keeping of all maintenance and repair work.

  5. The intended final use of the site should be described in the post-closure plan. The intended use must not disturb the integrity of the final cover, liner, and components of the containment system, or the function of the monitoring systems.

  6. The plan should provide for adequate documentation of the post-closure activities by outlining appropriate record keeping throughout the post-closure period. At the end of the post-closure period the owner or operator must submit certification signed by an independent Professional Engineer registered in Nebraska that post-closure has been completed in accordance with the approved post-closure plan. Adequate documentation through appropriate record keeping will facilitate the certification.

  7. The plan should provide the name, address, and telephone number of the person or office to contact about the closed solid waste disposal area during the post-closure period. It is recommended that this person or office be responsible for implementation of the plan and for retaining all records and documentation. The plan should be implemented immediately after closure of the facility and continued throughout the 30-year post closure period.

For more information please refer to
Neb. Rev. Stat. §13-2039 or Chapter 1 of Title 132 - Integrated Solid Waste Management Regulations.

RESOURCES:

Contacts:
  • NDEE Main Line (402) 471-2186
  • NDEE Toll Free Number (877) 253-2603
  • NDEE Solid Waste Compliance Assistant (402) 471-8308
  • Email questions to: NDEE.moreinfo@nebraska.gov

NDEE Publications:


Produced by: Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, NE 68509-8922; phone (402) 471-2186. To view this, and other information related to our agency, visit our web site at http://dee.ne.gov.