och ran ' s ▁term . ▁His ▁wife ▁became ▁the ▁real tor ▁for ▁the ▁sub div ision ▁of ▁Bur le igh ▁Man or ▁after ward . ▁Howard ▁County ▁Cit iz ens ▁for ▁Conserv ation ▁gathered ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁sign atures ▁against ▁the ▁project ▁and ▁su ed ▁the ▁county ▁for ▁lack ▁of ▁public ▁meet ings ▁on ▁the ▁selection . ▁The ▁suit ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁in ▁May ▁with ▁acknowled g ement ▁that ▁meet ings ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁ade qu ate ▁notice . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁the ▁Maryland ▁State ▁Health ▁department ▁granted ▁the ▁permit ▁for ▁Al pha ▁R idge . ▁The ▁initial ▁site ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁a ▁compact ed ▁base ▁without ▁lin ers . ▁Res idents ▁were ▁informed ▁that ▁Al pha ▁R idge ▁would ▁operate ▁until ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁without ▁expansion ▁and ▁be ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁park ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁its ▁collection ▁phase . ▁B FI ▁Rec y cling ▁service ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁Maryland ▁initi ative ▁to ▁increase ▁rec y cling ▁to ▁ 2 0 % ▁by ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁The ▁same ▁year ▁a ▁$ 5 2   mill ion ▁project ▁was ▁ear mark ed ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁land fill ▁into ▁comp liance ▁with ▁Maryland ▁Environment al ▁reg ulations . ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Al pha ▁R idge ▁operations ▁cost ▁$ 7 5 ▁a ▁ton . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Howard ▁County ▁proposed ▁to ▁expand ▁the ▁land fill