COALMONT Landfill - Jackson County, Colorado Solid Waste Management Facility

COALMONT is an operational landfill located in Jackson County, Colorado, approximately half a mile east of the town of Coalmont. As a solid waste management facility, it provides essential disposal services for the region, handling municipal solid waste under the regulatory oversight of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The facility operates under the framework of the US EPA RCRA Subtitle D, which governs municipal solid waste landfills, and the Clean Air Act's landfill gas rules. While specific technical specifications such as tonnage per year are not detailed in available records, the landfill likely employs standard practices for waste compaction, daily cover, and leachate management typical of small to medium-scale landfills in rural Colorado. COALMONT plays a key role in managing waste for Jackson County, a sparsely populated area with a focus on agriculture and outdoor recreation. Proper landfill operations are critical to protecting local groundwater and air quality, particularly given the region's proximity to the North Platte River headwaters and sensitive alpine ecosystems.

The landfill is situated in a rural, high-altitude environment in Jackson County, Colorado, near the headwaters of the North Platte River. This setting requires careful leachate management to prevent groundwater contamination, as the area's shallow soils and seasonal snowmelt can increase infiltration risks. Methane generation from decomposing waste also necessitates gas collection or flaring to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and odor impacts on the surrounding community and wildlife.