Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Odor Class Action Settlement, $675,000 Fund for Concord, NC Residents

If you owned, rented or lived in a home within 1.5 miles of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill in Concord, North Carolina, you may be able to get money from a $675,000 class action settlement over landfill odors. The settlement resolves Vines v. BFI Waste Systems North America, LLC, a lawsuit claiming that odors from the landfill interfered with residents’ ability to use and enjoy their homes. BFI Waste Systems denies any wrongdoing.

The settlement also requires $1,025,000 in improvement measures at the landfill. The deadline to file a claim is November 20, 2026. The deadline to opt out or object is November 5, 2026. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina has only preliminarily approved the settlement, so no payments will go out until final approval and any appeals are resolved.

Official settlement website: LSClassAction.com, Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill

Quick Facts: Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement

Detail	Information
Case name	Vines v. BFI Waste Systems North America, LLC
Case number	1:24-cv-00697
Court	U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
Magistrate judge	Joe L. Webster
Plaintiff	Pamela Vines
Defendant	BFI Waste Systems North America, LLC (owner and operator of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill)
Landfill address	5105 Morehead Road, Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina
Cash settlement fund	$675,000, less attorneys’ fees, expenses and service award
Landfill improvements	$1,025,000 in capital improvement measures
Class area	Residential property within 1.5 miles of the landfill’s property boundary
Class period	August 14, 2021 to the present
Claim deadline	Postmarked by November 20, 2026
Opt-out and objection deadline	Postmarked by November 5, 2026
Final approval hearing	January 7, 2027, 10:00 a.m., Greensboro, NC
Final approval status	Pending (preliminary approval only)
Class counsel	Liddle Sheets P.C. and Johnson & Groninger PLLC
Class counsel contact	1-800-536-0045, [email protected]

What Is the Vines v. BFI Waste Systems Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Lawsuit About?

Pamela Vines sued BFI Waste Systems North America, LLC, which owns and operates the landfill. The lawsuit alleged that odors from the landfill drifted onto nearby properties and interfered with residents’ use and enjoyment of their homes.

BFI Waste Systems denies the claims and any wrongdoing or liability. The court did not rule for either side. After mediation and settlement talks, the parties agreed to settle to avoid the cost, delay and risk of trial and appeals. The notice says the settlement does not mean any law was broken.

Which Laws Apply to the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Odor Claims?

The settlement notice describes the claims as interference with the use and enjoyment of property and does not list the legal theories in detail. The laws below are the ones that generally govern landfill odor disputes in North Carolina. They are background, not a list of the claims in this case.

• North Carolina private nuisance law (common law). A private nuisance is a substantial and unreasonable interference with another person’s use and enjoyment of their land. Landfill odor lawsuits are commonly brought on this theory, and it matches how the notice describes the claims.
• Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. Rule 23(e) requires court approval of a class settlement after notice to class members and a finding that the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. That is why the court is holding a fairness hearing on January 7, 2027.
• Class Action Fairness Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1715. The CAFA notice rules require settling defendants to notify certain federal and state officials about a proposed class settlement. A final approval order generally cannot be entered until a set period after that notice.
• North Carolina Solid Waste Management Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 130A, Article 9. This is the state law framework for permitting and regulating landfills, administered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
• North Carolina air quality rules, 15A NCAC 02D. The state’s air quality rules include provisions on odorous emissions. Check the current rule text, because requirements apply to specific sources and conditions.
• Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq., and RCRA Subtitle D, 42 U.S.C. § 6941 et seq. These federal laws set air-emission and municipal solid waste landfill standards. Neither gives residents a simple private claim for odor, and the settlement does not say they were violated.
• Statutes of limitations, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52. Individual property-damage and nuisance claims are subject to time limits, with special rules for continuing nuisances. The notice itself warns that limitation periods may bar individual claims if you opt out.
• Medicare Secondary Payer Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1395y(b)(2). The claim form includes a statement about Medicare and government benefits and a lien indemnity. This federal law explains why such statements appear in injury-related settlements.
• Federal and state tax rules. Settlement payments may be taxable. Ask a tax professional how a payment should be reported.

For general guidance on documents and deadlines in settlement claims, read How To Claim A Lawsuit Settlement? Guide To Getting Paid.

Who Qualifies for the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement?

You are a class member if you owned, rented, leased or lived in residential property located in whole or in part within 1.5 miles of the landfill at any time from August 14, 2021 to the present. That covers owner-occupants and renters. The class area is shown on a map attached to the Settlement Agreement and posted on the Liddle Sheets website.

Living somewhere in Concord or near Charlotte Motor Speedway does not automatically qualify you. Check the official map first.

Can Former Residents Near the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Still File a Claim?

Possibly. The class period runs from August 14, 2021 to the present and covers property interests held at any time in that period. If you moved away but your former home was inside the class area, you may still qualify. You will need the property’s address and the dates you owned or lived there.

Which Class Period Date Is Correct: August 14, 2021 or October 28, 2018?

The online claim form on the Liddle Sheets website asks whether you owned or rented property in the class area at some point from October 28, 2018 to the present. The official notice and the PDF claim form both use August 14, 2021. Go by the notice and the PDF form unless class counsel tells you otherwise. If you are close to the line, call 1-800-536-0045 before filing.

How Much Money Can You Get From the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement?

The payment is not a fixed amount, and it is calculated per address, not per person. The notice explains the math this way:

1. Attorneys’ fees, expenses and the plaintiff’s service award are taken out of the $675,000 fund.
2. The remaining net fund is divided by the total number of addresses for which valid claims were submitted.

Your payment depends on how many households file approved claims. If few households claim, each payment will be larger, and if many do, each will be smaller. Everyone at one address shares a single claim and a single check. The notice does not give an estimate or a guaranteed minimum.

Class counsel will ask the court for attorneys’ fees of up to one-third of the “Total Settlement Value,” plus expenses, and a $5,000 service award for Pamela Vines. The notice text reviewed does not define “Total Settlement Value,” so it is unclear whether that figure includes the $1,025,000 in improvements. The court must approve any fees and awards, and these are requests, not approved amounts.

What Are the $1,025,000 Landfill Improvements at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill?

Besides the cash fund, BFI Waste Systems agreed to make capital improvements at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill, valued at $1,025,000. This money goes to facility improvements, not to individual cash payments. The notice says that if you currently live in the class area, you benefit from these improvements even if you do not file a claim. It does not list the specific projects.

How Do You File a Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement Claim?

You must complete, sign and date the claim form, attach the required documents, and mail it with a postmark of November 20, 2026 or earlier to:

Liddle Sheets P.C. Attn: CMS Landfill Claim Forms 975 E. Jefferson Ave. Detroit, MI 48207

The claim form is signed under penalty of perjury. You will need:

• Your contact details: name, mailing address, email and phone number, plus your spouse’s name if applicable.
• Your claimed address within the class area and the dates you owned or lived there.
• A copy of a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID or other government photo ID) showing your identity and current address.
• Proof of your connection to the property. Owners attach documentation of ownership, and the PDF form gives a current utility bill as an example. The online form asks for a deed or other ownership document, plus a utility bill if your ID address does not match. Tenants attach a valid lease or rental agreement, or a current utility bill.

Send copies, not originals. Documents are not returned, so keep a copy of everything you send.

You can download the official claim form PDF. The settlement page also shows an online claim form that accepts uploaded documents. The notice instructs claimants to mail the form, so if you want to file online, confirm with class counsel that the online submission counts and keep your confirmation.

Do not file a claim if you opt out. Claim forms from people who excluded themselves will not be accepted. Late or incomplete claims may be rejected.

Read the Health Certification Before You Sign the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Claim Form

The claim form includes statements that matter more than most people expect. By signing, you swear that you have not been diagnosed with, are not aware of, and have no symptoms you suspect could be associated with any sickness, disease or physical injury caused by BFI Waste Systems. You also swear that you have not received Medicare or other government benefits for such an illness or injury, and you agree to defend and indemnify BFI Waste Systems against lien claims over those benefits.

Do not sign a certification you know is inaccurate. If that statement does not describe your situation, contact class counsel or a licensed attorney before signing. The settlement’s release does not bar claims for medically diagnosed personal injuries, but the certification may affect whether you can truthfully submit the form.

How and When Will Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement Payments Be Sent?

If the court approves the settlement and class counsel approves your claim, a check is mailed to your household. You then have 180 days from the date on the check to cash it. Uncashed checks become void after 180 days. The notice also warns that if anyone in your household fails to cash the check in time, everyone in the household forfeits any claim to a payment from the fund.

There is no confirmed payment date. The court will hold a final approval hearing on January 7, 2027, and an appeal could cause delay. The hearing date is not a payment date.

What Happens If You Do Nothing in the Vines v. BFI Waste Systems Settlement?

You get no money, and you stay bound by the settlement. You give up the right to sue BFI Waste Systems and related parties over the same claims. If you live in the class area, you still benefit from the landfill improvements. Filing a claim late is treated the same as doing nothing.

What Are You Giving Up by Staying in the Vines v. BFI Waste Systems Class?

If the settlement becomes final and you do not opt out, you release BFI Waste Systems and affiliated parties from all claims arising from or relating to alleged odor emissions from the facility through the effective date of the settlement. There are two carve-outs:

• The release does not bar claims for medically diagnosed personal injuries.
• It does not bar claims arising from odor emissions that occur more than 36 months after final approval, a window meant to allow the improvements to be fully implemented.

Should You Claim, Opt Out or Object in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement?

Your choice	What you get	What you give up	Deadline
File a claim	Possible check, plus the landfill improvements	Release of covered odor claims	November 20, 2026
Do nothing	No check, but the landfill improvements	Release of covered odor claims	None
Opt out	No settlement money	Nothing; you keep the right to sue on your own	November 5, 2026
Object	Possible check if the settlement is approved and you file a claim	Release of covered odor claims	November 5, 2026

Opting out and objecting are different. Opting out removes you from the class, and a person who opts out cannot object. Objecting asks the court to consider a concern while you remain in the class.

How to Opt Out of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement

Opting out keeps your right to sue BFI Waste Systems on your own, but you get no money. The notice warns that statutes of limitations may bar individual claims, so consider speaking with a licensed North Carolina attorney first.

Mail a letter by First Class U.S. mail, postmarked by November 5, 2026, containing this statement: “I WISH TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE VINES V. BFI WASTE SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA, LLC SETTLEMENT. I UNDERSTAND BY EXCLUDING MYSELF, I WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY MONEY FROM THE SETTLEMENT REACHED IN THIS MATTER.” Include your full name, the address of your class area property, your signature and the date. You cannot opt out by phone or email.

Send it to: Class Counsel, Pamela Vines v. BFI Waste Systems North America, LLC, c/o Liddle Sheets P.C., 975 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48207.

How to Object to the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement

You can object only if you stay in the class. Send a written statement postmarked by November 5, 2026 to the same Liddle Sheets address. It must include:

• Your legal name, current address, the class area property address, phone number and signature
• The reference “Pamela Vines v. BFI Waste Systems North America, LLC., Case No. 1:24-cv-00697”
• A detailed statement of your objections and any supporting documents

To speak at the hearing, add a statement that you intend to appear. If you miss the deadline or skip the procedure, you waive your right to be heard at the hearing. You do not have to attend for the court to consider a timely objection.

Key Dates in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement

Date	Event
August 14, 2021	Start of the class period
November 5, 2026	Deadline to opt out or object (postmark)
November 20, 2026	Deadline to submit a claim form (postmark)
January 7, 2027, 10:00 a.m.	Final approval hearing, U.S. District Court, 324 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC (may be held by phone or video)
After final approval and appeals	Payments issued

The hearing date appears as January 7, 2026 in one place in the notice, but the hearing section and the rest of the timeline point to January 7, 2027. This article uses 2027.

What Happens at the January 7, 2027 Fairness Hearing in the Vines v. BFI Waste Systems Case?

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina will decide whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. It will also consider any timely objections and the requested attorneys’ fees, expenses and service award. The hearing is at 324 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC, and the court may allow it to be held by phone or video. The hearing does not guarantee approval.

Who Are the Attorneys in the Vines v. BFI Waste Systems Class Action?

The court preliminarily appointed Liddle Sheets P.C. and Johnson & Groninger PLLC as class counsel. Class members do not pay them directly. They will ask the court to pay their fees and expenses out of the settlement fund.

Contact class counsel at 1-800-536-0045 or [email protected]. The notice tells class members not to contact BFI Waste Systems or the Clerk of Court with questions. The settlement web page shows the phone number with a missing final digit, so use the number in the notice.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill Settlement

How much is the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill settlement? 

The cash fund is $675,000, before fees, expenses and the service award. The settlement also requires $1,025,000 in landfill improvements.

Has the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill settlement been approved?

 Only preliminarily. The final approval hearing is January 7, 2027, at 10:00 a.m.

Who can file a Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill settlement claim? 

Anyone who owned, rented, leased or lived in residential property within 1.5 miles of the landfill at any time since August 14, 2021.

How much will each household get from the BFI Waste Systems settlement?

 It is not known yet. The net fund is divided by the number of addresses with approved claims, and there is no stated minimum.

Do I need to prove I lived near the Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill?

 Yes. You need a government photo ID plus ownership documents, a lease or a utility bill, depending on whether you owned or rented.

Can renters file a claim? 

Yes. Tenants are included and attach a lease, rental agreement or current utility bill.

Can I still file if I moved away from Concord?

 Possibly, if your former home was inside the class area during the class period. Provide the address and the dates you owned or lived there.

What is the deadline to file a claim? 

Postmarked by November 20, 2026.

What is the deadline to opt out or object?

 Postmarked by November 5, 2026, by mailed letter. You cannot opt out by phone or email.

Does the settlement stop me from suing BFI Waste Systems over a medical condition?

 The release does not bar claims for medically diagnosed personal injuries. But the claim form asks you to swear you have no such illness or symptoms you suspect are related, so talk to an attorney before signing if that applies to you.

What if odors continue after the settlement?

 The release does not cover claims arising from odor emissions occurring more than 36 months after final approval.

Do I have to file a claim to get the landfill improvements?

 No. The notice says class area residents benefit from the improvements either way.

Is the $1,025,000 paid to residents as cash? 

No. It is for improvement measures at the landfill and is separate from the $675,000 cash fund.

Who do I contact with questions?

 Call class counsel at 1-800-536-0045 or email [email protected].

AllAboutLawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice. The author is a legal content researcher, not a practicing attorney. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation. The settlement remains subject to final court approval, and settlement payments may be taxable.

Official Sources

1. Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill settlement page (Liddle Sheets P.C.)
2. Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement, dated October 6, 2026
3. Official claim form PDF

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official Notice, Claim Form and settlement page run by class counsel (LSClassAction.com), as of October 16, 2026. Last Updated: October 16, 2026.