Goodman questions landfill position

Funds for legal battle approved

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — Legislator Jodi Goodman voted for the first time against a resolution needed to pursue the development of phase two of the landfill. Her vote marked the first time that any legislator whose district is located away from the landfill raised doubt about the need to go forward with the proposed expansion.

On September 6, Sullivan County lawmakers were asked to approve a payment of up to $100,000 to go to Acentech, Inc. the consulting company that is helping the county in its attempt to obtain permits to expand the landfill, located on East Broadway behind the old Apollo Plaza.

The issue is currently tied up in legal proceedings, with the final issue being the level of noise that will be generated at the landfill. County attorney Sam Yasgur said Acentech had already come up with innovations that would reduce the noise at the landfill by as much as 45 percent.

Goodman voted against the measure because she said she didn’t have enough information about how the sound levels at the existing landfill would be without the $100,000 in additional expenditures.

Asked if she still supported the phase two expansion of the landfill, she said, “I’m not sure.” She said conversations with Alan Sorensen, who is running for a legislative seat in a district that encompasses the landfill and where residents are adamantly opposed to its expansion, had raised questions about proceeding with phase two.

Legislator Sam Wohl, who is the incumbent running against Sorensen, and who has also been a constant critic of the expansion, also voted against the measure to grant the funds. He said he was at a house in Mountain Lodge Estates, a development just across the street from where the expansion would be built, and the noise from the existing trucks was very loud. He said he didn’t think giving the consulting company another $100,000 would result in a quieter operation.

The measure to grant the additional funds passed by a five-to-two vote in committee, and is expected to pass the full board later this month.

Yasgur told lawmakers that the noise issue was the single remaining issue to be decided in the issues conference between the county, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the group of homeowners—or interveners—at Mountain Lodge Estates who are trying to block the expansion.

However, the interveners have appealed several of the earlier decisions made by the judge at the conference, and the appeals process could delay the granting of permits for some time to come.

According to John Kehlenbeck, the director of solid waste management, at the current rate at which the landfill is being filled, without the expansion, the facility will run out of space in 28 months.

Legislators refute charges

Also at the meeting, legislators took the unusual step of refuting statements made about the landfill during the public comment period at last month’s legislature meeting on August 16. A press release issued by lawmakers addressed several points that they said were inaccurate.

One point was the importation of garbage from outside the county. According to Wohl, importation of outside garbage began in November 1994, and was ended by the current legislature on June 30, 2004.

Another topic addressed was the adequacy of the landfill liner system. Robert Meyer, commissioner of public works, said the system “… has always been in compliance with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation specifications, which are more stringent than federal regulations.”

The press release also stressed that funds being generated by the landfill are not being used to supplement the general fund; in fact, it’s the other way around. Legislator Elwin Wood said, “This year, the county will use $2.7 million from the general fund to support solid waste operations.”

County manager David Fanslau said funds earmarked for landfill closure costs were not being spent for other purposes, as had been charged.

Finally, Legislator Kathy LaBuda defended the county’s recycling program, and the recycling advisory committee that she founded a year ago.