AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine House approved a bill on Thursday that would make it easier for private commercial landfills to expand, although some lawmakers said the state needs to change its habits to reduce the need for more landfill space.
LD 879, a carry-over bill from last session, was submitted primarily to allow the Crossroads Landfill in Norridgewock to increase its ability to collect waste.
As written, LD 879 authorizes “a commercial landfill facility — that is not under an order or agreement to close — to expand if the proposed expansion is contiguous with the existing facility and is located on property owned by the person holding the commercial solid waste disposal facility license.”
Crossroads, owned and operated by Waste Management Inc., is the only facility in Maine that fits that definition.
The bill was amended in the House to include provisions that allow for a thorough review process, including public hearings, when a landfill seeks to expand. It passed in a 102-43 vote on Thursday, with mostly Democrats voting against the proposal, and now goes to the Senate.
Rep. Bob Duchesne, D-Hudson, whose district includes the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, said the bill re-establishes marketplace competition but still gives the state some control.
“It’s not the best solution, it’s just the least worst,” he said.
In the late 1990s, the state granted an exemption to Casella Waste Systems to expand the Pine Tree Landfill in Hampden within the existing footprint. That facility is now at capacity and has been closed for more than two years.
Proponents said the new bill helps level the playing field with Casella, which also recently applied for an expansion of its Juniper Ridge Landfill. That expansion in Old Town has not received the final go-ahead and is expected to see push-back from the local community.
The Norridgewock landfill is still about a decade from reaching its capacity, but the expansion application process often takes many years.
During public hearings, critics said LD 879 incentivizes landfills, which should be the last option in the solid waste hierarchy.
Rep. Melissa Walsh-Innes, D-Yarmouth, who voted against the measure, said Thursday that she fears that the bill will allow landfills to take in more unchecked out-of-state waste. Already, she said, state law says if waste is processed in Maine, it’s in-state waste, even though she argued that much of it originates outside of Maine.
Rep. Sharon Treat, D-Hallowell, also feared that the bill would allow too much expansion.
“I don’t want to see the state turn into the dumping ground for the Northeast,” she said. “I don’t think this measure is the way to go.”
But Rep. Jim Parker, R-Veazie, said he thinks the criticism of out-of-state waste is flawed. He said having more landfill options is better for Mainers.
“Does it make sense to take all of western Maine’s waste to eastern Maine?” he said. That could happen, he said, if Old Town expands but Norridgewock does not.
Still, Walsh-Innes acknowledged that Maine continues to need landfills because “We are not doing enough to create alternatives.”
Rep. Denise Harlow, D-Portland, agreed.
“We may not need to expand landfills further if we change our habits,” she said.
Dumps are “job creators” just ask those legislators, they’ll tell you. Actually they’d tell you anything you wanted to hear – especially if you were a “job creator”.
Just a hint: don’t do any business with the Governor.
Rep. Bob Duschene introduced this Bill to allow Waste Management (the world’s largest chemical, nuclear, and hazardous waste dumper/dealer) in Norridgewock to expand so his constituents in Old Town/Alton might, possibly, maybe, perhaps, not be subjected to expansion at the dump Baldacci bought there some years ago.
This is a false move, and wrong.
Most of what’s dumped at Waste Management’s huge dump in Norridgewock is GARBAGE FROM OUT OF STATE. This is what’s brought in to the OldTown/Alton dump, as well.
Allowing Waste Management to expand is NOT going to stop out of state garbage from going into Old Town/Alton dump – it will simply add to Maine’s collection of toxic out of state waste.
There is no one at the border with a Geiger counter to see if incoming garbage is radioactive; the trucks aren’t even inspected so hazardous chemical wastes and all other bad stuff could be coming in and we wouldn’t know it.
Trucks come in to that dump from all over the country. Why would they ship stuff halfway or 3/4 way across the country to mid-Maine? What do you suppose is in those trucks?
But no one checks.
I suggest – as a way to make better use of our resources – that Maine State employees (at DEP, for example) who heretofore have been desk-bound, be re-trained to identify hazardous chemical wastes, and be re-assigned to Maine’s borders.
They can then inspect every single truck that comes in. The trucks should have manifests of where they’s going and exactly what they’re bringing into the State. All trucks. no exceptions.
Much of what goes into the garbage incinerators is from out of state, as well. Why do we allow this to continue?
Our woods and waters are gradually being filled up with toxic waste, if they’re not being clear-cut to make chips which are being shipped to China and Europe.
I say let Maine people have full, open discussions and debates, then we have citizens’ referendums on the use of Maine resources, including Maine’s garbage dumps.
Democracy.