In 1989, Maine enacted a ban on new commercial solid waste landfills and authorized the State to site and license new solid waste landfills. (New municipal and privately owned landfills would be permitted subject to certain waste delivery restrictions.) The ban was enacted to allow the State more control over the importation of out-of-state solid waste deliveries. Since this time, the State has licensed and/or acquired three solid waste landfills.
Carpenter Ridge
Unorganized Territory, T2 R8 NWP. (Approximately 2 miles west of Interstate 95, Exit 227)
- In 1995, the State purchased the 1,500-acre site from the Lincoln Pulp and Paper Company (LPP). LPP planned to pursue licensing of the site as a generator-owned special waste landfill. The State/LPP sales agreement reserves capacity for approved waste streams from the mill operations located in Lincoln.
- Licensed as a special waste landfill by the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (MBEP) in 1996. The landfill’s footprint is approximately 35 acres, providing 1.8 million cubic yards of capacity with projected life span of 18 years based on disposal rate of 100,000 cubic yards/year (1996 disposal rate).
- To date, the site remains undeveloped as a potential “safety net” for future landfill development. The LPP mill permanently closed in December 2015 after it never fully recovered from a November 2013 boiler explosion. The 1996 MBEP License is kept current by paying annual licensing and reporting fees to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP).
Juniper Ridge Landfill
Old Town and Alton (short section of access road). Interstate 95 Exit 199
- 2003. Transfer of Georgia Pacific’s West Old Town Landfill to the State Planning Office (SPO) pursuant to Resolve 2003, Ch 93 (121st Legislature). (The West Old Town Landfill was licensed by the MBEP in 1993 to accept wastes generated by the Georgia Pacific Old Town mill operations). Total site acreage is approximately 780 acres, approximately 68 acres is utilized for the existing landfill footprint and associated roads and infrastructure to support landfill operations.
- 2003. The SPO issues a Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicit bids for contract operations at the landfill. Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is awarded the contract.
- 2004. The State acquires the landfill from Georgia Pacific. The State and Casella finalize an Operating Services Agreement (OSA) for landfill operations and management, including a construction and demolition wood chip fuel agreement between Casella and Georgia Pacific (Fort James Operating Company) and host community benefit agreements with the City of Old Town and the Town of Alton. The term of the OSA is for 30 years. Casella is responsible for all costs associated with development, operations, and closure/post closure activities, including costs associated with an expansion permit application to be submitted for MDEP review by 2007, or at such time Casella determines is reasonable based on disposal volumes and remaining landfill capacity.
- To date, three additional amendments to the OSA have been entered into by the State and Casella. The First Amendment, dated July 28, 2006, stated Casella shall use its best and most diligent efforts to, at its own cost and expense, apply for, seek and maintain in full force and effect (i) the License Amendment (vertical increase), (ii) the Expansion Permit and other necessary permits required in connection with Casella’s obligations under this Agreement. The Second Amendment, dated November 2, 2006, required Casella to source from within or outside the State of Maine sufficient quantity of construction and demolition (C&D) debris to produce C&D fuel for the biomass boiler located at the Old Town Facility operated by Red Shield and accept for disposal the biomass ash produced by the biomass boiler. The Third Amendment, dated December 21, 2015, approved Casella’s right under the OSA to take and use the landfill gas generated at the landfill for a landfill gas utilization project.
- April 2004. The State receives MDEP approval for a vertical increase of the existing landfill, increasing landfill disposal capacity from approximately 3 million cubic yards to 10 million cubic yards. At the 2011/2012 fill rates (2011/2012 average was 675,000 tons), it was estimated that existing landfill capacity would be reached in 2019.
- January 2012. The State receives MDEP approval for a Public Benefit Determination to apply for an expansion application to develop an additional 9.35 million cubic yards of disposal capacity at the Juniper Ridge Landfill (JRL).
- October 2012. The State and Casella submitted a license amendment application to accept municipal solid waste (MSW) from 13 Maine towns that were previously being handled at the Maine Energy Recovery incinerator in Biddeford, which closed in December 2012.
- On December 20, 2013, the MDEP issued a license with conditions limiting the annual amount of MSW for disposal to 81,800 tons. On June 19, 2014, the MBEP issued an Order affirming the MSW limit of 81,880 tons/year.
- On June 1, 2017, the MBEP issued an Order approving with conditions the 9.35 million cubic yard expansion of the existing JRL facility. The expansion would cover an additional 54 acres and be developed in phases consisting of Cells 11 through 17.
- From 2017 to 2021, multiple MDEP licenses and MBEP orders have been issued approving the disposal of various types of wastes and the construction of landfill cells in the approved expansion area.
- In 2021, landfilling operations are being conducted in Cell 12 and Cell 13 is currently under construction. It is estimated that the current landfill footprint capacity will be reached in 5 to 6 years. An additional 54 acres is available for future landfill development.
Dolby Landfill
Old Town and Alton (short section of access road). Interstate 95 Exit 199
- 2003. Transfer of Georgia Pacific’s West Old Town Landfill to the State Planning Office (SPO) pursuant to Resolve 2003, Ch 93 (121st Legislature). (The West Old Town Landfill was licensed by the MBEP in 1993 to accept wastes generated by the Georgia Pacific Old Town mill operations). Total site acreage is approximately 780 acres, approximately 68 acres is utilized for the existing landfill footprint and associated roads and infrastructure to support landfill operations.
- 2003. The SPO issues a Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicit bids for contract operations at the landfill. Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is awarded the contract.
- 2004. The State acquires the landfill from Georgia Pacific. The State and Casella finalize an Operating Services Agreement (OSA) for landfill operations and management, including a construction and demolition wood chip fuel agreement between Casella and Georgia Pacific (Fort James Operating Company) and host community benefit agreements with the City of Old Town and the Town of Alton. The term of the OSA is for 30 years. Casella is responsible for all costs associated with development, operations, and closure/post closure activities, including costs associated with an expansion permit application to be submitted for MDEP review by 2007, or at such time Casella determines is reasonable based on disposal volumes and remaining landfill capacity.
- To date, three additional amendments to the OSA have been entered into by the State and Casella. The First Amendment, dated July 28, 2006, stated Casella shall use its best and most diligent efforts to, at its own cost and expense, apply for, seek and maintain in full force and effect (i) the License Amendment (vertical increase), (ii) the Expansion Permit and other necessary permits required in connection with Casella’s obligations under this Agreement. The Second Amendment, dated November 2, 2006, required Casella to source from within or outside the State of Maine sufficient quantity of construction and demolition (C&D) debris to produce C&D fuel for the biomass boiler located at the Old Town Facility operated by Red Shield and accept for disposal the biomass ash produced by the biomass boiler. The Third Amendment, dated December 21, 2015, approved Casella’s right under the OSA to take and use the landfill gas generated at the landfill for a landfill gas utilization project.
- April 2004. The State receives MDEP approval for a vertical increase of the existing landfill, increasing landfill disposal capacity from approximately 3 million cubic yards to 10 million cubic yards. At the 2011/2012 fill rates (2011/2012 average was 675,000 tons), it was estimated that existing landfill capacity would be reached in 2019.
- January 2012. The State receives MDEP approval for a Public Benefit Determination to apply for an expansion application to develop an additional 9.35 million cubic yards of disposal capacity at the Juniper Ridge Landfill (JRL).
- October 2012. The State and Casella submitted a license amendment application to accept municipal solid waste (MSW) from 13 Maine towns that were previously being handled at the Maine Energy Recovery incinerator in Biddeford, which closed in December 2012.
- On December 20, 2013, the MDEP issued a license with conditions limiting the annual amount of MSW for disposal to 81,800 tons. On June 19, 2014, the MBEP issued an Order affirming the MSW limit of 81,880 tons/year.
- On June 1, 2017, the MBEP issued an Order approving with conditions the 9.35 million cubic yard expansion of the existing JRL facility. The expansion would cover an additional 54 acres and be developed in phases consisting of Cells 11 through 17.
- From 2017 to 2021, multiple MDEP licenses and MBEP orders have been issued approving the disposal of various types of wastes and the construction of landfill cells in the approved expansion area.
- In 2021, landfilling operations are being conducted in Cell 12 and Cell 13 is currently under construction. It is estimated that the current landfill footprint capacity will be reached in 5 to 6 years. An additional 54 acres is available for future landfill development.
Administration
- The Maine Waste Management Agency was established to site and license needed state-wide solid waste disposal capacity. The Agency was eliminated in mid-1990’s and landfill siting/oversight responsibilities transferred to the SPO. The SPO was eliminated in 2011 and state landfill ownership responsibilities transferred to the DAFS/BGS. State landfill management/oversight duties transferred to Department of Economic and Community Development. PL 2011, Ch 655 (LD 1903). State landfill management/oversight duties were transferred to DAFS/BGS on July 1, 2021.
- Waste management planning and recycling responsibilities were transferred from SPO to the MDEP. As a result, the MDEP is responsible for completing an Annual Waste Generation and Disposal Capacity Report and a Waste Management and Recycling Plan that is updated every 5 years. The next 5-year update of the Waste Management Plan is scheduled for January 2024.