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The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s revised public benefit determination to expand the Juniper Ridge Landfill (JRL) once again fails to fully consider the well-being of Penobscot Nation and Old Town residents, arguing that public health is worth sacrificing for the sake of having somewhere to dump Maine’s garbage.
According to Maine law, all communities have equal right to “be protected from environmental pollution and to live in and enjoy a clean and healthful environment.” To me, JRL highlights the stark disconnection between Maine’s solid waste laws and reality. For years, the landfill’s PFAS-laden leachate has been dumped into the Penobscot River, likely poisoning fish, wildlife, and people.
DEP claims that it upheld environmental justice requirements by holding community meetings, and that it “reviewed and considered” our concerns. The revised public benefit determination proposes to resolve them through hiring a consultant to evaluate landfill odor, measuring gas emissions more frequently, installing a system to “treat landfill leachate for PFAS,” and informing residents about “significant landfill events” on a website. I think this is insulting. The technology for removing PFAS from leachate is complicated, largely experimental, and varies in effectiveness. What will happen if PFAS treatment doesn’t work?
I believe the DEP has failed to accept accountability for the ongoing harm caused by JRL by continuing to push for expansion. To me, the proposed solutions included in the revised public benefit determination amount to an admission that JRL has been violating the rights of our communities for years. We deserve a Department of Environmental Protection that takes our health and environment seriously.
Daisy Goodman
Old Town