Judge blocks Bethlehem Landfill expansion in Northampton County |

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A Northampton County landfill has been hit with a legal blow in its controversial plan to expand.

A judge ruled Monday in favor of several residents in Lower Saucon Township who filed a lawsuit seeking to block Bethlehem Landfill’s plan to expand.

The lawsuit involves the removal of conservation easements in the disputed area.

Expansion supporters say landfill fees support Lower Saucon’s budget, while opponents say the expansion will damage the environment and threaten the scenic beauty of the Lehigh River.

The township council previously backed the landfill in the lawsuit but later switched sides to support the plaintiffs.

69 News has reached out to the landfill for comment but have not heard back.

The vice-president of the Lower Saucon Township Council calls the judge’s ruling a “huge victory for residents.” She anticipates the ruling will be appealed.