NEW ULM — Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved a request to authorize GEI Consultants to prepare and submit an application for a federal air permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by rural Commissioner Dean Simonsen of Sleepy Eye, seconded by Commissioner Tony Berg of rural New Ulm for GEI to contact the MPCA and assist Brown County in the application preparation.

“This will extend the landfill,” said Brown County Solid Waste Officer Laine Sletta.

“This is a needed permit. We need to move ahead,” Simonsen said.

Based on correspondence between Brown County, the MPCA and GEI, the county is required to submit a permit application to the MPCA by Sept. 21.

Ten forms must be updated for the new submittal. A compliance assurance monitoring plan might also be required.

The scope of the work is based on the county’s desire to permit the facility and initiate a leachate (liquid that extracts soluble or suspended solids, or any other component of the material through which it has passed) recirculation system for the active parts of the landfill.

Application permit fees are estimated at $21,375. GEI proposes to complete the work for $8,000.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)