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Tempers flared and accusations flew at the Old Town City Council meeting on Monday as residents voiced their concerns about the proposed sale of the city’s landfill.
The landfill is currently owned and run by the Georgia-Pacific mill, which is attempting to sell the site to the state for $25 million as a financial incentive to keep the mill open and maintain jobs.
The site holds 10 percent of what it was originally deemed able to hold, according to Pete Maher recently, one of the engineers who originally surveyed the site, and would be greatly expanded under state ownership.
But the expansion of the dump is not the fear plaguing the minds of Old Town citizens. Many are worried about toxic waste being disposed of at the dump and of the past record of Casella Inc., the waste management company bidding on the site.
The dump will rise more than 300 feet, making it the highest point in Old Town and higher than a landfill in Hampden that is visible from I-95.
When the city council was confronted with rumors and reports from angry citizens that the dump is currently leaking, chairman Alan Stormann said he couldn’t confirm anything.
“You don’t even know if the landfill is leaking and you’re going to support increasing it 10-fold?,” said Anthony Watkins, a resident of Old Town. “It seems to me you’re not doing your job. You’re misinformed, under informed and non-informed.”
Watkins was among a handful of angry citizens upset that the only public hearing scheduled was cancelled. Councilers responded by telling Watkins it wasn’t their job to do so.
“I can’t even go to the grocery store without telling people how mad I am,” said Chris Lommler. “What we’re getting is what every other state is trying to get rid of. Who told them people in Maine were too stupid to figure it out?”
“I’m curious if this is what you think is economic development?,” said Tamara Levitsky, addressing the council.
Council members said they’re trying to save roughly 35 percent of their tax base by keeping GP in Old Town.
“If this deal doesn’t go through, GP will not be here next year,” Cates said.
Residents also touched upon their growing concern with the reputation of Cassella Inc. Casella has been sued twice by the town of Saco, in 2001 and 2002, and once by the town of Biddeford in 2002, for violations of waste manageent contracts.
Cassella has assured the city that they will take several precautions to make sure toxic waste will not leak into drinking water.
“I don’t want my son poisoned, I don’t want my daughter poisoned and I don’t want my wife poisoned,” Watkins said.
The citizens are also concerned as to how well the landfill will be monitored and are wary that Cassella will be the only company performing tests.
The landfill that Cassella runs in Hampden, which runs at much the same capacity as the proposed landfill, has never experienced a leak.
The State of Maine is behind purchasing the mill, according tp Alan Stern, a policy adviser for Gov. John Baldacci.
“The area offers a good place for a landfill that the state needs to create within the next few years,” Stern said recently.
The state also hopes the money from the purchase will keep the GP mill in Old Town up and running.
“Without the sale of this landfill, the mill will certainly close,” said Rick Douglas, a represenative from the GP mill, recently. “The sale of this landfill is a cornerstone to keeping this mill in Old Town.”
Bangor Daily News