Bannock County is expanding its capacity for household and commercial waste at the Fort Hall Mine Landfill.
On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, the Board of Commissioners awarded the contract to excavate and install a cell liner at the landfill, located at 1500 N Fort Hall Mine Road in Pocatello, to Gale Lim Construction, of Blackfoot
Part of the area that will be excavated to expand Cell 4 of the Fort Hall Mine Landfill.
Installing the cell liner is the first part of the second phase of a larger project to expand Cell 4 of the landfill, which collects household waste for more than 80,000 Bannock County residents. After seven years of use, Cell 4’s Phase 1 storage capacity is nearing the end of its lifespan.
“If we did nothing, this cell would run out of storage by next spring. By intervening now, we are adding another six years’ worth of lined storage to this cell. We will also be completing the excavation needed to expand the cell’s lifespan an additional 23 years,” said Kiel Burmester, the Bannock County Public Works Director.
To maximize the space, Gale Lim Construction will finish excavating the 8.5-acre expansion area and install a composite liner to prevent waste from contaminating the underlying Lower Portneuf Valley Aquifer.
Work will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by Dec. 1, 2022. The cell will continue to be operational throughout construction.
The contract was awarded for under $5.2 million and will be paid for using landfill service fees. The bid was awarded based on the quality, cost, and longevity of the work presented.
