Maine DEP issues a draft denial of Public Benefit Determination for a proposed new landfill

September 24, 2014

Contact: Jessamine Logan, jessamine.logan@maine.gov or (207) 287-5842

-While the department supports the concept of an integrated waste management facility, a proposed 25 to 70 acre landfill in Argyle or Greenbush does not meet the review criteria for a public benefit determination-

AUGUSTA- The Maine Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft denial of the Municipal Review Committee, Inc.?s application for a public benefit determination for a proposed new landfill in Argyle or Greenbush after a thorough review process.

In the draft denial, which is available for public comment through October 1, the department finds MRC?s evaluation of disposal capacity was substantially influenced by its stated need for a landfill under its ownership and control rather than a factual analysis of the disposal capacity available within and near the MRC service area in the short- and long-term.

The department reviews all public benefit determinations under the statutory specific review criteria. The review criteria are that the proposed facility meets immediate (within the next 3 years), short term (within the next 5 years), or long term (within the next 10 years) capacity needs of the State; the proposed facility is consistent with the State?s solid waste management hierarchy; the proposed facility is not inconsistent with local, regional, or state waste collection, storage, transportation, processing, or disposal; and (only if the facility proposes to accept waste not generated in the State of Maine) that operation of the facility would be precluded or significantly impaired if the waste is not accepted.

The department found that there is sufficient existing disposal capacity; thus a new landfill would be inconsistent with the State?s solid waste hierarchy, which puts landfilling last. The draft denial also finds that MRC?s proposal for a new landfill would be inconsistent with existing local and regional waste management.

The department strongly encourages MRC to continue to pursue a regional approach to increase waste diversion without relying on its own landfill. The department supports MRC?s vision for an integrated waste management system and is open to future discussions and necessary permitting once MRC decides on the components of the system. The department looks forward to actively working with municipalities and regional waste associations to find integrated waste management strategies.

All documents received by the DEP related to the public benefit determination including the draft denial, application and public comments are available online at http://maine.gov/dep/waste/mrc/index.html .

Comments may be sent by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, October 1 to DEP Project Analyst Karen Knuuti, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, 106 Hogan Road, Suite 6, Bangor, Maine 04401 or at karen.knuuti@maine.gov.

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