Crook County violated its Department of Environmental Quality solid waste permit last year when it expanded its landfill by a half acre more than it was allowed to.

The violation, which could lead to a fine, is part of Crook County’s ongoing failure to follow the conditions and requirements of its landfill permit, the DEQ said in a letter to Crook County commissioners.

According to DEQ documents, the county had approval to expand its landfill by about 2 acres, but excavated a 2.5-acre cell instead. A cell is a lined and sloped pit for waste collection.

The DEQ approved a plan to build a two-acre cell in August, but a November inspection revealed the cell was larger than specified in the county’s approved plan.

Failing to notify the DEQ about digging the cell too big is a violation of the county’s permit to operate the landfill, said DEQ Inspector Don Bramhall. He said there are no environmental implications to the violation because while the cell is 25 percent larger than plans specified, it is not large enough that the cell’s sump area can’t accommodate liquid waste runoff.

Landfill manager Bruce Ricks said Tuesday, however, that the county had notified DEQ that it had excavated the cell larger than planned. He said it cost between $350,000 and $400,000 to build the new cell.

Ricks would not comment further on the issue, saying it’s a matter for future negotiations between the county and the DEQ. Bramhall said he’s meeting with county commissioners and Ricks on Jan. 11 to discuss the issue.

The DEQ said in its letter to Crook County that the violation was referred to the department’s enforcement division and enforcement actions could include a fine.

Still to be resolved is a $15,600 fine Crook County incurred last year for hazardous waste and other violations at the Crook County landfill. A landfill attendant had allowed a Prineville company to dump eight 5-gallon buckets of paint thinner into the landfill. The paint thinner is classified as a hazardous liquid waste that the Crook County Landfill can’t accept under the terms of its DEQ permit.

Bramhall said the county is considering implementing an environmental cleanup program in lieu of paying the fine. It might use the money it would have paid toward the fine to start a hazardous-waste collection event in Crook County instead.