A new task force ought to have made a decision on the future of Brunswick’s Graham Road Landfill by Oct. 1, according to Interim Town Manager John Eldridge.
The makeup for the task force was created during a July 7 Town Council meeting. Town councilors Suzan Wilson, Steve Walker and John Perreault will serve on the task force, as well as two members of the town’s recycling and sustainability committee.
News of the landfill’s possible demise surfaced in June when Eldridge announced before the council that a pilot project concluded in the spring to treat ammonia had mixed results.
Ammonia is emanating from three lagoons that discharge into the Androscoggin River.
Issues about ammonia discharge arose in 2004 when the town applied for relicensing. At the time, Brunswick was informed that it may qualify for a variance by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, but was informed in 2010 by the EPA that the variance wouldn’t be available.
The town has been working with its congressional delegation to “get relief ” from the federal standard, and to see if there are any federal funds available to bring the landfill into regulatory compliance. So far, Brunswick has not made any headway, said Eldridge on Tuesday.
It may be more cost-effective to close the facility rather than spend money on the years-long effort to fix the ammonia problem, according to information provided by Eldridge in June.
Closing the landfill would cost about $5 million, but the town would be reimbursed up to 75 percent, due to the groundwater quality issue through a state fund.
That fund requires eligible landfills be closed by December 2015 in order to qualify for reimbursement, said Eldridge.
“That’s a tight timeline for us,” Eldridge said.
The town has been trying to work with state legislators to see if the deadline can be extended, according to Eldridge.
Negotiating with both federal and state agencies could be a complex process, according to Town Council Chairman Benet Pols.
“You’ve got to be pretty careful,” said Pols.
Brunswick disposes of about 3,000 tons of waste a year at the landfill. At that rate, there was another 15 years of life left there. However, before the town raised the tipping fees in 2007, about 10,000 to 15,000 tons were disposed of each year.
Brunswick could also choose to treat ammonia at the landfill at a cost of $1 million to $2 million, said Eldridge. The town could also transport the lagoon water via pipe or truck for treatment at the sewer district.
Should the task force recommend closing the landfill outright, it must also devise an alternative as to where Brunswick brings its trash.
It’s too soon to say which direction the town will take, said Eldridge.
For now, Eldridge said, the task force is getting up to speed on the issue and discussing internally how to proceed.
jswinconeck@timesrecord.com
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