The long-controversial Days Cove rubble landfill in White Marsh is officially on the clock. On May 20, 2026, the Maryland Board of Public Works signed off on a new lease that will wind down operations at the facility and start moving the state-owned site back toward park use inside Gunpowder Falls State Park.
Under the deal, the landfill can keep accepting construction debris through Dec. 31, 2029, then has up to three years to cap, close, and restore roughly 114 acres of state land. State officials say the lease was built with strict deadlines, funding rules, and oversight so the operator cannot walk away and leave taxpayers to foot the cleanup bill.
State Locks In An End Date For The Dump
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Board’s May 20 vote approved a new lease with Days Cove Reclamation Co. that ends landfill operations by the close of 2029, followed by up to three years to permanently cap and reclaim the site.
The agency’s announcement notes that the lease has no renewal option. It also locks in tenant funding for reclamation and keeps the door open for future park uses at the parcel once the bulldozers and dump trucks are gone.
What The Lease Actually Requires
Details in the Board of Public Works’ May 20 agenda packet show the lease covers about 113.76 acres inside Gunpowder Falls State Park at 6425 Days Cove Road. The operational term runs through Dec. 31, 2029, with a closure period that must wrap up no later than Dec. 31, 2032.
Rent is set at 12% of gross tipping fees during the operational period, plus $150,000 in additional consideration spread across the first three years. The packet estimates roughly $3.3 million in total rent over the life of the deal.
The document also spells out how the escrow account for closure, capping, and restoration is supposed to work, including state access to the money and how it must be accounted for under GAAP. The closure budget itself is subject to review by DNR, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and a third-party engineer, adding another set of eyes on how the operator plans to shut the site down.
Why Neighbors Are Still Nervous
Local environmental advocates and nearby residents have kept the pressure on since the operator pursued a permit to increase daily leachate discharges, a move that drew hundreds of public comments and turned the lease terms into a community flashpoint.
As reported by the Bay Journal, the company ultimately pulled that contested permit provision late last year. Even so, residents say they want stronger, independently verified monitoring and easier public access to environmental records. Neighbors quoted in coverage called the lease progress, but not a slam dunk, arguing it still lacks clear guarantees on water quality.
Penalties, Escrow And The Big Cost Question
The Board packet also highlights the stick behind all the carrots. If the tenant fails to meet its closure, post-closure, or reclamation obligations, the company faces a $5,000,000 penalty. DNR can also require additional deposits into the escrow account if needed.
The agreement calls for GAAP-consistent accounting for the escrow funds and assigns a third-party engineering monitor to track progress against closure deadlines. State reporting has noted that an immediate, state-funded fill-in of the landfill would cost an estimated $14 to $18 million based on a Maryland Environmental Service study, a price tag officials cited while arguing for a phased, operator-funded transition instead.
What Happens After The Trucks Leave
DNR says it will oversee the transition, hire independent monitors, and work with community stakeholders on what comes next for the property once closure and reclamation are complete. Future recreational uses could include trails or even a community solar project, although any final plan will have to wait until the site is fully capped and restored.
The Department of Natural Resources and the Board packet both underscore that there is no renewal option in the new lease and that funding for reclamation is locked in. Environmental groups and some elected officials, however, say they plan to keep pressing for more transparency as monitoring ramps up.
For background, Hoodline previously covered the December lease negotiations and the long timeline for shutting down the dump in a piece on the planned closure.
