Prehearing Conference: Vernon County Landfill
Start Date: 01/05/2027
End Date: 01/05/2027
Time: 2:00 p.m. - End of Agenda
Location: Virtual
Susan Burns, Susan.Burns2@wisconsin.gov
On Aug. 17, 2026, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Department) issued a letter holding that the Feasibility Report from Vernon County regarding a proposed expansion of the Vernon County Landfill was complete, and that the environmental analysis was integrated in the project summary.
On Sept. 25, 2026, Tom Lukens, Matt Wagner, William Spann, AnnaJo Doerr, Kyle Kruizenga, Kelvin Rodolfo, Dennis Brault, Amy Allison Arnold, Gregory S. Wahl, Richard Lobeck, Steven Adams and Friends of Vernon County Waters, (Petitioners) filed a Petition for a Contested Case Hearing with the Department pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 289.27 and 227.42.
By letter dated Sept. 29, 2026, the Department granted the Petitioners’ request for a contested case hearing. The issues for hearing are whether the Department correctly determined that the Vernon County Landfill Expansion Feasibility Report was complete pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 289.24 and that no separate environmental impact statement was needed.
On Sept. 30, 2026, the Division of Hearings and Appeals received an original request for hearing from the Department. On Oct. 20, 2026, an informal conference was held by ALJ Benjamin Jones with the preliminarily identified parties and dates for a prehearing conference and hearing were agreed.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the State of Wisconsin Division of Hearings and Appeals will hold a prehearing conference on the above-captioned matter pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 227.46(1) and Wis. Admin. Code §§ NR 2.08(5) and 2.12, at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027, via Microsoft Teams. Interested persons may request an email invitation to the Teams Telephone Conference by contacting the Division of Hearings and Appeals at 608-266-7709. In the alternative, those interested may participate by telephone by calling 608-571-2209 and entering Phone Conference ID 809 728 976#.
Any person, organization, or governmental unit wishing to become a party to this proceeding must attend the prehearing conference personally or by an authorized representative. The purpose of the prehearing conference will be to identify parties to the proceeding, to simplify or clarify the issues which may be contested at the hearing, identify witnesses, discuss the exchange of exhibits, confirm the scheduled dates for the hearing, and address any other matters as may aid in the disposition of the action. No testimony will be heard at the prehearing conference.