Landfill still uncertain

By DAVID HULSE

NARROWSBURG, NY — An Upper Delaware Council member’s investigation has determined that the owner of record of the former Barnes Landfill in Highland is deceased and there is no record of any estate.

That presents a problem for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as a spokesman has reported that escrow funding set aside to administer landfill closure costs will be gone in two years time.

DEC delegate Bill Rudge told the UDC that there is no easy answer to this problem.

“We’ll be initiating legal action,” noting that the agency’s effort are always subject to the constraints of budget.

Rudge said he did not feel it was necessary for the UDC to formalize their support for the effort at this time.

“We want you to take care of it whether you get any [new] money or not,” Tusten delegate Charles Wieland said. “We know that,” Rudge replied.