Another great article on the front page of the Scranton Times. Please let your lawmakers know where we stand and that we want them to support our opposition to the landfill expansion in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of our region!
DEP: DUNMORE LANDFILL AGREEMENT NOT CONSENT FOR EXPANDING
November 15, 2014
Today’s article says approving a new contract would not be seen as consent for the landfill expansion by the DEP. This would be the case as long as that contract did NOT include the Phase 3 expansion, however, the current proposed agreement does include Phase 3.
The Host Municipality Agreement is weighed heavily in the Harms/Benefit analysis. If the Borough agrees to accept money for Phase 3 then they are saying that Phase 3 is acceptable. The DEP will certainly see that as consent. We want to be clear that Friends of Lackawanna is opposing the inclusion of Phase 3 in the agreement since this is the important distinction.
Also, the article does not mention how this proposed deal is worth less and less with each passing year — to the point that in terms of today’s dollars, the last year of the proposed deal is worth less than what the Borough receives today.
DUNMORE COUNCIL TABLES DECISION ON LANDFILL PROPOSAL
Thank you to all who came out to stand and be heard! It made a difference once again!
Times-Tribune
KYLE WIND, STAFF WRITER
Published: November 14, 2014
“In the application Keystone is going to present to DEP, Exhibit A is going to be this agreement,” attorney Mark Perry told borough council, in part referring to no expiration date for the deal. “If you don’t want (the expansion), then the choice is clear. Don’t vote for this.”
The contract would increase the fee to $1.20 per ton this year, then annually add 10 cents per ton until the total increases to $1.50 in December 2017.
The idea is to then add a penny per ton per year for the remaining life of the landfill, but Mr. Clark pointed to a potential interpretation of the wording that the fee could drop to 42 cents per ton in 2018 with $1.50 not clearly defined as the base amount at that point.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WEIGH ASKING LANDFILL FOR HOST FEE
Times-Tribune
KYLE WIND, STAFF WRITER
Published: October 28,2014
As the Keystone Sanitary Landfill seeks to expand its facility, Lackawanna County commissioners might try to get a piece of the pie from the operation.
Currently, the county doesn’t get a direct fee per ton of waste as host municipalities Dunmore and Throop do. However, host fees for counties are not uncommon in the state Department of Environmental Protection’s northeast region, said agency spokeswoman Colleen Connolly. Over the last eight to 10 years, area counties that have fees typically get $2 to $4 per ton, she said.
Schuylkill County gets $3 per ton from Commonwealth Environmental Systems — which, like Keystone, is owned by Louis and Dominick DeNaples. The fee was already in place when the brothers took over the landfill, said landfill consultant Albert Magnotta.
Schuylkill County also is allowed to dispose of waste at its landfill for free, while Lackawanna County paid haulers at least $100,000 for waste disposal last year.
DUNMORE ASKS TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT OF KEYSTONE PROJECT
Another fantastic step in the right direction to protect the health, safety, home values and image of our area. Friends, we are making a difference one important step at a time.
Times-Tribune
KYLE WIND, STAFF WRITER
Published: October 28,2014
More than nine months after Borough Council expressed support for Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s proposed expansion, Dunmore’s elected representatives are withdrawing the sentiment.
“Please let this letter serve as formal notice that Dunmore borough would like to reserve the right to contest the Phase 3 application for Keystone Sanitary Landfill,” reads a letter council unanimously approved on Monday.
The letter to the state Department of Environmental Protection also asks the agency to strike from the record a previous communication stating the group did not intend to object to the application.