text: Upon meeting the Company's expansion criteria, the rates used at each applicable landÑll to expense 
  costs to acquire, construct, close and maintain a site during the post-closure period are adjusted to include 
  probable expansion airspace and all additional costs to be capitalized or accrued associated with the expansion 
  airspace. 
  
  The Company has identiÑed three sequential steps that landÑlls generally follow to obtain expansion 
  permits. These steps are as follows: 
  
  1. Obtaining approval from local authorities; 
  
  2. Submitting a permit application to state authorities; and 
  
  3. Obtaining permit approval from state authorities. 
  
  Once a landÑll meets the Company's expansion criteria, management continuously monitors each site's 
  progress in obtaining the expansion permit. If at any point it is determined that an expansion area no longer 
  meets the required criteria, the probable expansion airspace is removed from the landÑll's total available 
  capacity and the rates used at the landÑll to expense costs to acquire, construct, cap, close and maintain a site 
  during the post-closure period are adjusted accordingly. 
  
  67 