With Guilderland ending its contract with the Rapp Road landfill and sending its trash to Colonie, Bethlehem has been looking at its own contract, which is set to expire next year.
Councilman Sam Messina raised the issue at the end of the Wednesday, July 8, Town Board meeting.
I read some things in the newspapers about the Albany Common Council raising some issues and concerns on whether or not they will take the necessary action to approve the bonding of the landfill expansion, Messina said. ` I read of course about Guilderland and Colonie making an arrangement and I think about us and what I’ve been reading lately raises a couple of flags.`
He said the biggest flag was the `big number` of the proposed expansion that could come in at around $40 million.
Messina said the town spends around $60,000 for its Rapp Road permit and sends around 100 tons a month to the landfill. He added that when the town caps its own Rupert Road construction landfill in November, the tonnage, and thus the cost for the town, could increase.
The Rupert Road transfer station will remain open, according to Supervisor Jack Cunningham.
He said the town’s contract with the Solid Waste Management Plan, formerly known as ANSWERS, expires in 2010.
`I think it behooves us maybe to have our engineering department and our highway department to look at this at a cost perspective and maybe an environmental perspective,` he said.
Messina said there could be `some misinformation out there` and the Town Board should try to plan ahead. Cunningham gave updates to the rest of the board and to the public on the matter.
`I’ve already talked to Colonie and I talked to Guilderland about their arrangement,` he said. `We are continuing to work with the ANSWERS community regarding the existing landfill and the steps that need to take place with that.`
Cunningham said it is the city’s landfill, so the $41 million proposed expansion will be the city of Albany’s responsibility, not the municipalities in the solid waste consortium.
He later told The Spotlight, `We are under no financial obligations in terms of the landfill, we are just a customer.`
`The town only does what comes out of the Rupert Road station, the private haulers in this town also operate under our permit with ANSWERS, so they need access to that facility in order to move refuse,` said Cunningham. `They’re very conscience of their costs, so they do look for other opportunities to dump for lower rates.`
Cunningham said the capping of its construction landfill means the town will have more debris to transport from its transfer station and that Bethlehem will be looking at options other than the Rapp Road landfill.
`From what I understand, the Colonie landfill charges slightly more for residential waste but charges significantly less for its construction debris than the Rapp Road landfill,` Cunningham said.
He indicated Bethlehem may be looking at making arrangements with Colonie to send its construction debris from local developers.
Councilman Kyle Kotary said he can see both sides of the issue.
`As an environmentalist, I’d hate to see an expansion into the Pine Bush,` he said. `But on the other hand, I can see [Albany’s] side, too, as they have a financial interest in the landfill.`
Cunningham said the town hasn’t taken a stance `one way or the other` about Albany’s proposed expansion, but that the town is still a participating member of solid waste consortium.
Councilman Mark Hennessey voted against the town’s continued participation in the consortium.
`As for the situation with the Albany landfill I voted against an ANSWERS-related motion a few weeks ago ` and was the only no vote,` he said. `I have questioned the arrangement we entered into and will continue to do so. I am glad that Supervisor Cunningham and the rest of the board are leading by looking at alternatives.`
“
