CONSTRUCT WETLANDS
"We would impact some wetlands; we're in the process of doing a plan to mitigate these wetlands. Unfortunately, with the deeryard we were able to go out and buy some of the development rights of similar deeryard for mitigation; here we'd actually have to go and construct wetlands," he said.
Badowski said that MLI's application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct the wetlands is currently under administrative review.
"The next phase is getting the Army Corps to approve that wetland project and submit the permits to the town; we're going to be able to submit this application to the state early in the third quarter of next year," Badwoski continued.
Badowski told officials that the project has been in the works since 2004 and that they have a good idea of what the footprint is going to look like and it hasn't changed since the last presentation several years ago.
Test wells have been drilled, according to Badowski.
LOCAL PERMITS
In addition to local town permits, the project will need Act 250 approval as well as permits for waste management, stormwater runoff, stream, air quality and waste management, according to Badowski. He estimates that the whole permitting process will take a year to complete.
Badowski said MLI has a meeting with the state scheduled for this week. "We like to bring them in early on in the project to address their concerns," he said.
If all goes to plan, permit applications would be submitted in the third quarter of 2010; Badowski said they anticipate the permits will be granted by the third quarter of 2011 with construction commencing in early 2012.
TIPPING FEES
Funds from the Moretown Landfill represent a significant portion of Moretown's municipal budget which was approved at $1,005,723. At the 2009 Town Meeting, an article was passed by the voters that allowed the revenues received in 2009 from MLI to be divided so that 25 percent is deposited into the Savings Reserve Fund, 25 percent is deposited into the Capital Reserve Fund, and 50 percent is used to lower the 2009 tax rate.
In 2009, the town anticipated $412,000 in tipping fees from MLI and, with the distribution of funds, anticipates $288,400 in revenue to the town, according to the preliminary budget.
Last Monday, November 30, select board member David Van Deusen gave a presentation to fellow town officials and community members in which he suggested that the town include an article at Town Meeting calling for the use of landfill revenues to offset property taxes.
WHOLE TOWN ELIGIBLE
At the December 7 meeting, select board member John Hoogenboom referenced an article in last week's issue of The Valley Reporter and said he was "quite disappointed in the article and if the board agrees that it is pointed out in this week's edition that any presentation from David Van Deusen was his research and that in no way should that be misconstrued as the feeling of the board and in terms of articles and so on because it is totally unresearched. I would imagine that a lot of people don't know [sic] that have the Mad River Valley Community Fund and Moretown is eligible, the whole town is eligible."
Van Deusen's presentation was reported in The Valley Reporter as a presentation that he made to town officials and the public. The select board will have to approve all articles proposed by any person, which they have yet to do.
For more information on the proposed plans contact the Moretown Landfill, 244-1100.
{loadnavigation}
