Landfill hearing in Horry Sept. 12

    Horry County’s landfill isn’t expected to close until 2040, but there seems to be no time like the present to begin planning its future.
    A public planning session regarding post closure landfill use plans will be held by the Horry County Solid Waste Authority on Thursday, Sept. 12. Scheduled for 5:30 p.m., the hearing will be held in the authorities’ multi-purpose room, located at 1886 Highway 90 in Conway.
    Ideas on how best to use the landfill after it closes may be shared at the hearing, said SWA Executive Director Danny Knight. Located on about 2,000 acres, the landfill is situated along Highway 90 and bordered by the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve.
    Knight said the landfill use closure plan will consider the entire property to create usable natural conservation areas. A draft plan includes low-impact recreational activities such as hiking, biking and horse riding trails, fishing and nature appreciation like bird watching and other types of nature-based recreation.
    Additional comments from the public on possible uses are important during this planning process, Knight said.
    “It’s important we start planning now on what legacy we want to leave when the landfill closes,” Knight said. “It is our hope to restore the local ecosystems, provide passive recreation and improve aesthetics in preparing the site for closure.”
    Public planning sessions will provide information on the draft plans and encourage feedback and input from the local community.
    For more information on the public planning session, contact Mike Bessant, Horry County Solid Waste Authority at 843-347-1651 or visit here.