Local Politics · Sumter County
Sumter County May Expand Lawsuit Against Heart of Florida Landfill
Sumter County Chairman Don Wiley has requested a meeting with county officials to discuss expanding the county's Sept. 22 lawsuit against the Heart of Florida landfill near Lake Panasoffkee to include concerns about a planned deep injection well for leachate disposal. The original suit alleges the landfill is a public nuisance due to odor problems affecting residents since early 2025 and demands operators eliminate the odor or shut down. County Attorney Jennifer Rey reported that the case is in its early stages, with interrogatories and summonses issued to operators ACMS and Waste Connections. Opponents of the injection well, including residents and officials from several central Florida counties, worry it could damage the Florida aquifer, the region's primary drinking water source. The landfill sits within Bushnell city limits, leaving Sumter County without direct regulatory authority over its operations.