BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — Three members of Virginia’s congressional delegation have requested additional federal help with addressing odors coming from the Bristol, Virginia landfill.
Rep. Morgan Griffith, Sen. Tim Kaine, and Sen. Mark Warner sent a letter to the head of the Environmental Protection Agency requesting the agency provide additional assistance to the City of Bristol, Virginia.
“It is our understanding that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff has been involved in assisting Bristol with certain aspects of the landfill and we thank you for that assistance,” the letter states. “As mentioned in the January 3rd letter, Bristol has also worked with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as well as private consultants and engineers in an attempt to address the odor issue plaguing the City and surrounding areas. However, despite these efforts, the malodor persists and continues to affect Bristol and the surrounding communities. At this time, we respectfully request that EPA provide all available resources to assist the City of Bristol in developing a mitigation strategy to resolve this issue. Our offices stand ready to assist you and your staff in any way.”
The letter comes after Bristol leaders earlier this week sent their own letter to state and federal agencies requesting more help.
Tennessee state Sen. Jon Lundberg has called for federal funding to close the landfill. Landfill odors have affected residents on both sides of the state line.
