Editorial: Sensible approach on Sunrise landfill

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 1998 | 12:01 p.m.

The landfill, about 15 miles east of downtown Las Vegas, burst open after a September thunderstorm and some of its contents flowed down Sunrise Mountain into the Las Vegas Wash, which leads to the Las Vegas Valley's major drinking water source -- Lake Mead. Dangerous levels of methane gas also have been discovered seeping out of the site.

Amid concerns about threats to public health, several agencies are working with Republic-Silver State Disposal Services Inc., manager of the landfill, to properly close it. A ground water monitoring plan is due to the state by Oct. 15.

But that may not be enough.

Leahi Hills Development Inc. has proposed building a $50 million golf course, tennis courts and horse trails atop the 720-acre unlined landfill. Bernie Hyde Jr., the BLM's group manager for protection and response from Washington, D.C., advises against developing anything at the landfill until extensive environmental studies have been completed.

That's a sensible approach. Even Leahi President James Gomes said he doesn't want to risk any more money on the project if the landfill's problems aren't solved.

Hyde, who toured the site after reading about the recent damages, doesn't believe a golf course is a suitable use for a landfill site. He says several similar projects in Colorado and Arizona were plagued by sinking greens.

This is not the time to point fingers of blame among those working to properly close the landfill. It's time to thoroughly investigate what's in the soils and come up with ways to ensure the landfill contents will stay buried and won't seep out again.

This must be done before any decision can be made on how the site should be developed.