LEWISTON – An acceptable deal at the city landfill could make or break the budget again this year.
The deal could save the city $1.1 million per year, but it hinges on letting Casella Waste Management bring in commercial trash and demolition debris from out of state.
“It would be a temporary thing and it would let us get some economic return from the deal,” said City Administrator Jim Bennett. “We think it makes sense for the taxpayers, but it’s up to the community. The community needs to decide if the savings is worth having some out of state trash come in.”
Lewiston tried a similar deal last year but was stopped by the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Attorney General’s Office.
According to that deal, Casella would operate the Lewiston landfill, pay staff and be responsible for whatever goes into the dump. The company would also be responsible for expanding the landfill. Lewiston would remain in control of the dump and Casella would pay the city $1 million per year.
The state ruled the deal amounted to creating a new commercial landfill, and that’s forbidden by state law.
“We didn’t challenge them, and instead tried to negotiate to find a solution,” Bennett said. It didn’t work, and the city has moved on, Bennett said.
He thinks a big part of the problem was allowing Casella to bring in municipal solid waste – household trash like dirty diapers and rotting food – from outside Maine.
The new deal doesn’t allow any household trash or municipal waste, only ash from Casella’s incinerator in Old Town, demolition debris and commercial trash, including that from out of state. Lewiston would have the final say over what is allowed and what is not, but out-of-state municipal waste would not be allowed.
Bennett said the city is lobbying legislators to adopt a resolution, authorizing the bill, to resolve any disagreements with the state before they happen.
“We don’t think there would be issues with the DEP or the attorney general down the road,” Bennett said. “If there were, we’re pretty confident that we’d win if we filed a suit. But we don’t want to have to go through all that expense.”
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