A northwest Harris County community that has spent years fighting to close a nearby landfill could be one step closer to seeing it shut down.
Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin announced Monday that her office has filed a Notice of Intent to Sue to move the Hawthorn Park Recycling & Disposal Facility toward permanent closure.
The legal filing was submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Waste Management. USA Waste of Texas Landfills, Inc., a subsidiary of Waste Management, operates the landfill.
If successful, the legal action would move the landfill’s current permit toward closure, triggering post-closure requirements that include capping and covering the landfill, groundwater sampling and long-term environmental monitoring.
According to the Harris County Attorney’s Office, the county has not been given access to groundwater sampling by the company for years.
“For decades, the Carverdale community has been forced to live with the impacts of this landfill — from flooding to health risks to environmental impacts, residents have had to grapple with uncertainty for their families and their homes,” Kamin said in a statement. “We are standing shoulder to shoulder with residents to ensure their children and grandchildren do not suffer the consequences.”
The latest legal action follows an earlier challenge before the TCEQ in which Harris County, Carverdale residents and a developer opposed Waste Management’s proposal to expand the landfill’s footprint and height. The company later withdrew its expansion request.
“The withdrawal of the expansion permit was a critical win, but it does not close this landfill,” Kamin said. “This community deserves answers and final resolution, not just a paused threat. That’s what this legal action is about.”
Houston City Council Member Amy Peck, who has worked with residents on the issue, praised the move.
“The Carverdale community is a treasured part of our city, and its residents deserve to live in a neighborhood with clean air, safe surroundings, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing their health and quality of life are protected,” Peck said in a statement. “I remain committed to standing with the Carverdale community and Attorney Kamin as we work toward a cleaner, healthier, and safer future for every family who calls this neighborhood home.”
Waste Management responds
USA Waste of Texas, Inc. released the following statement in response to the county’s legal action:
“The facility is governed by state regulations and a site-specific permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and is monitored, inspected, and tested by both WM and TCEQ in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.”