BIDDEFORD — Both proponents and opponents spoke out at a public hearing Wednesday on a bill that would require a potential buyer of the Maine Energy Recovery Company’s waste-to-energy incinerator in Biddeford to apply for a new solid waste facility license.
The hearing took place in the state Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee. The bill, LD 1476, would require a new owner to apply for a new solid waste license rather than allowing the old license to simply transfer to the new owner. It would also allow time for the host community to conduct its own review.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Barry Hobbins, D-Saco, was instigated by public statements from Casella Waste Systems, Inc., the parent company of Maine Energy, that the facility is for sale.
“This bill was intended quite baldly as leverage in negotiations between two parties,” said Casella spokesman Joseph Fusco. “We certainly feel that is an inappropriate use of the public policy process.”
However, the bill’s reach would not be limited to the downtown Biddeford facility, but would apply to all solid waste incinerators in Maine.
Complaints about foul odors emanating from Maine Energy have been one of the major reasons the incinerator has been linked by city officials in both Biddeford and Saco as a large reason for the slow growth of both cities’ downtowns.
As recently as last week, Mayor Joanne Twomey phoned in a complaint to a special odor complaint line about a foul odor that was found to be emanating from Maine Energy.
Even Gov. John Baldacci has stated that he believes that getting rid of the incinerator is key to igniting the economic engine of the region, which he feels would have a beneficial effect on the economy of the state as a whole.
The governor reportedly supports the bill, as does Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner David Littell.
Baldacci also supported the formation of a task force made up of elected officials and other representatives from the twin cities and the state, as well as representatives from the incinerator.
On Monday, the task force met for the second time in as many weeks. They are charged with coming up with an exit strategy for the incinerator that, according to the waste handling agreement signed by both parties in 2007, furthers the “mutual interests” of both Biddeford and Casella.
State Rep. Alan Casavant, D-Biddeford, who was a member of the Biddeford City Council at the time Maine Energy was approved to locate in the city, said the council was “sold a bill of goods” at the time.
Throughout the more than 20 year history of the facility, there have been a number of broken promises from the various owners who said the facility would be state-of-the-art and produce no odor with limited truck traffic, he said.
“None of those statements were ever, ever true,” said Casavant.
This bill is important, he said, because “the key to the whole thing (is) the license.”
If the bill passes, it will give Biddeford the opportunity for “due diligence,” before a solid waste license is granted if a new owner purchases the facility, said Biddeford resident Mark Robinson, who spoke in favor of the LD 1476 on Tuesday.
There are still a number of issues on the bill to work out with both supporters and the impacted parties at a committee work session on Thursday, said State Sen. Seth Goodall, D-Richmond. Goodall is co-chairman of the Natural Resources and a co-sponsor of the bill.
He said he is unsure whether or not the committee will vote on the bill on Thursday.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@gwi.net.
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