Notice of Public Hearing 
and Solicitation of Public Comment
Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board
P. O. Box 2261, Jackson, MS 39225
515 East Amite Street, Jackson, MS 39201
Telephone No. (601) 961-5171

Public Notice Start Date:  July 12, 2026	MDEQ Contact (Solid Waste): Charity Rockingham
Public Notice End Date: August 11, 2026
Public Hearing Date: August 11, 2026

The City of Canton has submitted environmental permit applications to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for the proposed modification (lateral expansion) and reissuance of the permits for the Canton Sanitary Landfill located at 303 Soldier Colony Road in Canton, Madison County, Mississippi. The applications submitted to MDEQ are for the following permits: a solid waste management permit modification for the proposed lateral expansion and continued operation of the municipal solid waste landfill; a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for storm water runoff management; a wastewater pretreatment permit for the discharge of landfill leachate to a permitted wastewater treatment facility; and an Air Title V Operating Permit (TVOP) for landfill gas emissions. MDEQ has developed the draft environmental permits for the proposed municipal solid waste landfill operation based on review of the applications and supporting information and is soliciting public comment on the draft permits.

As part of the opportunity for public engagement and public comment on the draft permits, MDEQ will hold a Public Hearing at Canton Multipurpose & Equine Center, 501 Soldiers Colony Road, Canton, MS 39046,  beginning at 6:00 p.m. on August 11, 2026.

The MDEQ, as the staff to the Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board (Permit Board),  has developed  draft permits based on its review of the information submitted by the applicant to the MDEQ. Copies of the draft permits may be found on the MDEQ website at: https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/ensearch/epd-permits-at-public-notice/. The available information also includes the rationale documents that contain information on the proposed project and development of the draft permits. Additional documents and information may also be found at the following MDEQ webpage: https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/permits/environmental-permits-division/additional-information-for-permits-at-public-notice/.

The draft permits that are the subject of this public comment notice are described below: 
1.	Solid Waste Management Permit (Permit No. SW04501B0378) - The proposed solid waste permit modification would authorize the lateral expansion and continued operation of the City of Canton Sanitary Landfill. The proposed modification would add approximately 47.44 acres to the permitted landfill disposal area. The expansion area is located in the southeast portion of the current landfill property in the location of former Canton Municipal Utilities Authority wastewater treatment lagoons. The new total landfill disposal area, including previously constructed and filled areas, will be approximately 97.33 acres. The landfill began operations in 1986 and would continue to accept and dispose of various nonhazardous solid wastes from residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and other approved sources from within an approved service area. The service area recognized by the City of Canton Solid Waste Management Plan includes the City of Canton and Madison County as well as Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, and Yazoo counties. The landfill also accepts processed medical waste from a Stericycle, Inc. operated medical waste processing facility located on the landfill property. The Stericycle, Inc. facility receives medical waste from Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee.
2.	NPDES Storm Water Permit (Water Permit No. MSS058548) - The proposed NPDES permit reissuance would authorize storm water discharges associated with the construction, development, and operation of the municipal landfill, excluding working face runoff and leachate. Outfalls 001, 002, and 003 are currently permitted and constructed and discharge to Bear Creek. Outfall 004 is proposed to be added for the expansion area and would also discharge to Bear Creek. Bear Creek is located in the Big Black River Basin. The proposed permit requires storm water to be managed through sedimentation basins prior to discharge and includes monitoring and reporting requirements for parameters including COD, BOD5, pH, TSS, turbidity, and flow.
3.	Water Pretreatment Permit (Water Permit No. MSP092474) - The proposed pretreatment permit would authorize the discharge of landfill leachate wastewater to the City of Canton Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), Canton POTW HCR Site, Permit No. MS0042455. The proposed process wastewater flowrate is 0.048 million gallons per day (MGD). The POTW provides biological treatment by means of a lagoon system followed by a hydrograph-controlled release storage cell and ultimately discharges to Bear Creek and the Big Black River. The proposed permit includes monitoring requirements for ammonia, nickel, zinc, oil and grease, BOD5, TSS, flow, and pH.
4.	Air Title V Operating Permit (Air Ref. No. 1780-00080) - The proposed TVOP would authorize continued landfill operations and address landfill gas emissions and related applicable federal air requirements. The facility is an existing municipal solid waste landfill that began operating in 1986. The facility is currently subject to the Federal Plan under 40 CFR Part 62, Subpart OOO until such time as construction of the proposed lateral expansion commences. Upon commencement of construction of the lateral expansion, the facility will become subject to 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart XXX. The landfill is not a major source under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program, and the proposed expansion constitutes a de minimis New Source Review modification. The TVOP is required by Title V of the Federal Clean Air Act and the Mississippi Air and Water Pollution Control Law. The TVOP is a Federally enforceable permit as well as a State permit.  Therefore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be allowed an opportunity to review the proposed TVOP, the Statement of Basis (or “Information Relative”), and all comments received during the public comment period prior to Permit Board action on the Title V application. EPA has agreed to treat this draft Title V permit as a proposed permit and to perform its 45-day review concurrently with the public notice period, contingent upon MDEQ receiving no significant comments during the period.  If comments are received on the draft Title V permit, EPA’s 45-day review period will cease to be performed concurrently with the MDEQ public notice period.  EPA’s 45-day review period will start once the public notice period has been completed and EPA receives notification from MDEQ that comments have been received and resolved.  Whether EPA’s 45-day review period is performed concurrently with the public comment period or after the public comment period has ended, the deadline for citizen’s petitions to the EPA Administrator will be determined as if EPA’s 45-day review period is performed after the public comment period has ended.  The status regarding EPA’s 45-day review of this project and the deadline for citizen petitions can be found at the following website address: https://www.epa.gov/caa-permitting/mississippi-proposed-title-v-permits. 
The MDEQ is soliciting public input on this proposed project and the draft permits on behalf of the Permit Board. Persons wishing to comment on or object to the draft permits are invited to submit comments either through participating in the public hearing hosted by MDEQ or by submitting comments in writing to Charity Rockingham at the Permit Board's address shown above or by email to CRockingham@mdeq.ms.gov, no later than August 11, 2026, the end of the public comment period. 

The purpose of the public hearing is to describe the proposed project and to receive comments from the public regarding the project and the draft permits. Upon arrival at the public hearing, everyone will be asked to register and note if they expect to make a statement. Statements will be received in the order of registration (i.e., first to register will be the first to give public comment). However, everyone will be given an opportunity to comment, including those who indicated during registration that they did not expect to comment.  Persons commenting should keep comments reasonably concise and relate, at least generally, to the responsibilities of the Permit Board.  Because a large number of people may wish to speak, a reasonable time limit on each speaker may be imposed during the hearing. During the public hearing, comments can also be presented to MDEQ in writing, in lieu of or in addition to verbal comments, if preferred.  

All comments made during the public hearing will be transcribed and made part of the Permit Board file. In making a final decision, the Board will consider all issues and concerns raised that fall within the Board’s jurisdiction over the proposed project. Please be advised that comments or concerns related to local zoning or land use are generally within the jurisdiction of the local government and not the Permit Board. The Board may make a decision to approve, modify, or deny the draft permits. Any interested party aggrieved by the Board’s decision may file a written request for a formal hearing on the decision. A final decision would then be made by the Permit Board after that formal hearing. Any person aggrieved by that final Board decision may appeal to the Chancery Court in the county of the proposed project.

The Permit Board was created by Mississippi Law for the purpose of issuing or denying environmental protection permits to control or prevent the release of contaminants into the air and waters of the State under such conditions and limitations as it may prescribe.  By law, the Board is composed of the Chief of the Bureau of Environmental Health within the State Department of Health; the Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, the Director of the Office of Land and Water Resources within the Department of Environmental Quality, the Supervisor of the State Oil and Gas Board; the Director of the Department of Marine Resources; the Director of the Office of Geology within the Department of Environmental Quality; and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce or their respective designees.

Any person that does not have internet access or that is interested in additional information on the draft permits or permit applications may contact Charity Rockingham at the Permit Board's address and telephone number above. The draft permits and associated statement of basis or permit rationale documents are also available for review at the office of the MDEQ at the Permit Board physical address shown above during normal business hours.

Please bring the foregoing to the attention of persons you know who may be interested.

The information may also be obtained by completing the form found at the following website: https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/about-mdeq/public-records-request/public-records-request-form/.