Length of hearing extended on West Old Town Landfill

OLD TOWN – The Department of Environmental Protection has extended the time frame of the West Old Town Landfill public hearing to allow more time for the public to present information.

The purpose of the hearing is to allow DEP to receive additional relevant comments and evidence on the state’s application to amend the existing license of the West Old Town Landfill before issuing a final decision on the application. The application calls for an increase in the landfill elevations and to allow its operator to accept additional waste types.

The landfill deal made by the state, Georgia-Pacific Corp. and Casella Waste Systems Inc. was designed to help keep the Old Town paper mill open, while also creating an answer to the state’s waste disposal dilemma.

As part of that transaction, the mill is to use the $25 million it will receive from the landfill sale to build a biomass boiler to cut energy costs, which in turn will allow the mill to remain open and save jobs.

Speakers at the hearing will have the opportunity to present testimony that is relevant to the statutory and regulatory criteria the DEP is using to evaluate the landfill application. Testimony will be taken under oath, recorded and later transcribed.

Five sessions will be conducted over two days. The sessions will be conducted by DEP Commissioner Dawn Gallagher or her designee who have the authority to administer oaths, establish a schedule and time frames for testimony, determine relevance of testimony and take necessary actions to ensure the efficient and orderly conduct of the sessions.

A sign-up sheet for the public comment sessions will include the name of the proposed speaker and an approximate amount of time they want to talk. The commissioner or her designee retains discretion to establish order of testimony and time frames based on number of people who want to testify and repetitiveness of testimony.

Each of the five sessions will begin with an opening statement by the commissioner or her designee describing in general terms the purpose and procedures governing the session.

The first session, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, March 29, will consist of presentations by the state and Casella Waste Systems Inc., the proposed operator.

DEP will outline the statutory and regulatory criteria, as well as the status of the application. The state Planning Office and Casella will then discuss the amendment application, including an overview of the project, the nature of the site, proposed improvements, waste to be accepted at the facility and water-quality monitoring.

Representatives from the state and Casella will then respond to general questions and comments. After a two-hour break, public testimony will begin. The entirety of Tuesday’s sessions also will be dedicated to public testimony and comments.

Times for sessions are as follows:

. Monday, March 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; 3-5:30 p.m.; and 6-8 p.m.

. Tuesday, March 30, 9 a.m.-noon and 2-8 p.m.

All sessions will be held at the Elks Club, 37 Fourth St. For more information on the landfill deal and the public hearing, visit the DEP Web site at www.maine.gov/dep.