Landfill decision due

DAVID HULSE

davehulse@rivereporter.com

MONTICELLO, NY — Officials close to ongoing negotiations regarding the future of the Sullivan County Landfill anticipated that an announcement of a tentative resolution would be forthcoming by the new May 5 deadline date.

Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini and John LiGreci, Lumberland supervisor and chair of the supervisors association said last week that a compromise, involving a new 125,000 ton-per-year intake limit for the landfill, was “on the table.”

County officials would neither confirm nor deny the proposal. “We’re still talking,” County Attorney Sam Yasgur said.

Their talks provided enough evidence for a state administrative law judge to extend an earlier April 30 resolution deadline. Failing a compromise, Judge Edward Buhrmaster scheduled an issues conference to reconvene in Monticello on May 10, but the continuing delay in beginning new construction for a cell six expansion becomes more critical as the construction season begins. Without the new cell, county officials have said that the landfill would be forced to shut down in March of next year.

LiGreci said a compromise is required to prevent widespread economic impacts of a premature landfill closure. He suggested that an increase in tipping fees to $75 per ton could offset county losses from the reduced volume figure.

He also wants the county to start looking at alternative recycling technology that could reduce landfill intake volume by as much as 80 percent. “That kind of technology could greatly reduce the impact of a phase two and extend the landfill life,” he said.

Monticello and Thompson want litter and odor controls, no expansion beyond cell six and a local tipping fee comparable with the reduced rate that out-of-county carters get. A reduced volume to 125,000 tons would not greatly impact the county revenues, since the daily cover materials would not be included in that total, Cellini said.

Cellini said he was optimistic of a resolution. “Everybody’s working together to get it under control. The landfill is part of our infrastructure; unfortunately, it was not sited in proper place,” he said.

An attorney representing the landfill neighbors, who have petitioned DEC for closure of the landfill, say they would withdraw their petition if the other parties can reach an agreement.