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…