Wayne County commissioners plan a public discussion Tuesday on a controversial plan to bring hazardous and radioactive waste into a Van Buren Township landfill.

The public discussion is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday at 500 Griswold St. in Detroit, inside the Guardian Building. Several officials were concerned about the plan after the Detroit Free Press reported that Wayne Disposal will take 6,000 cubic yards of soil and concrete, and 4,000 gallons of groundwater contaminated with radiation from a site in New York where the Manhattan Project developed the atomic bomb during and after World War II.

“Transferring nuclear waste poses a serious threat to residents in the area and throughout our county, and we want to make sure their voices are heard,” Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell said in a statement. “We are the nation’s 19th most-populated county and we sit alongside the world’s largest freshwater supply. Surely, there are other, less-populated and less-risky places where this waste can be stored.”

Environmental officials are expected to participate in the discussion, including Elizabeth Browne from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and Patrick Cullen from the county’s environmental services department. Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara is also expected to participate. Commissioners aim to provide sufficient information to divert the hazardous waste elsewhere, according to the Wayne County Commission.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans previously questioned why wastes find their way to Wayne County. Arizona-based waste giant Republic Services’ Wayne Disposal and Michigan Disposal operate as among the largest hazardous waste landfills and processing facilities in the nation.

“While I understand that these materials have to go somewhere, and few if any public officials are willing to welcome toxic waste with open arms, there needs to be a solution, through new policy or legislation, that doesn’t equal Wayne County as dumping ground for what no one else wants. Because that is an assignment we simply will not accept,” Evans said in a statement.

State and local officials are hamstrung in regulating hazardous waste. A 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on imported garbage declared out-of-state trash “articles of commerce” — essentially a commodity or good — that could not be restricted under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. That case arose from St. Clair County officials attempting to restrict a local landfill from accepting out-of-state waste.

State Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, in a statement Monday said the plan to accept the waste is “alarming” and called for a larger discussion about hazardous waste management in the country.

“Wayne County is the most populous county in Michigan, and our state is surrounded by 20% of the world’s fresh water. We cannot continue to be America’s dumping ground for toxic waste. Our district and our community deserve so much better,” Camilleri said.

The meeting will also be livestreamed on the Wayne County Commission YouTube page and available through Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/2234975895.

More: How southeast Michigan became a dumping ground for America’s most dangerous chemicals

Free Press reporter Keith Matheny contributed to this story.

Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.

DETROIT – A federal judge has extended a deadline for prosecutors to investigate the former Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CFO William Smith.

According to a court filing, the extension allows negotiations to continue for a possible plea deal.

Smith is accused of stealing nearly $40 million from the non-profit in a scheme that dates back to 2012.

Investigators say he used the money for airline tickets, hotels, limos, clothes, and luxury goods.

Last month, the Conservancy sued him, his mother, wife, sister, and the best man at his wedding.

Smith faces federal criminal charges and remains free on bail with a GPS tether.

The deadline for when prosecutors must obtain an indictment is Sept. 26.

The NFL announced on Friday that Los Angeles Rams tackle Alaric Jackson has been suspended for the first two games of the season. Jackson was projected to be the Rams’ starting left tackle this season, meaning Los Angeles will be missing one of their key players in their Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions.

Jackson was suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, but no other details were given regarding the suspension.

Jackson has been battling an injury in training camp. Repping as the starter at left tackle for most of training camp has been veteran offensive lineman Joe Noteboom. Last year, Noteboom started eight games for the Rams (split between LT, RG, and RT), and he’s started a total of 31 games in his six seasons with the franchise.

This is the latest development in a turbulent offseason for the Rams offensive line. This offseason, they signed former Lions guard Jonah Jackson, but the veteran offensive lineman has missed almost the entirety of training camp with a shoulder injury, although he’s expected to work back into the lineup next week. Additionally, right tackle Rob Havenstein has missed significant time in training camp, but he returned to the field earlier this week.

The Lions have had injury scares of their own, but luckily it appears most of their recent injuries — like Penei Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Terrion Arnold, and Sam LaPorta, among others—are expected to be ready by Week 1.

The Lions and Rams are scheduled to open up the “Sunday Night Football” schedule, with their Week 1 matchup at 8:20 p.m. ET on September 8 at Ford Field.