Penobscot Bay Blog: Don't Waste Maine

On January 7, 2021 BEP members deliberated with DEP officials Acting Commissioner Melanie Loyzim and Paula Clark, DEP's solid waste transfers and hazwaste on Don't Waste ME's rulemaking petition (audio mp3s). Have a listen, below. Full 30min Fact Sheet (PDF) :: Draft Rule Chapter (PDF) :: Citizen Petition :: Adoption Packet

D1 BEP Chair Mark Draper , Landfill operator, Aroostook Cty Intro to deliberations 2min10sec

D2 James Parker , Engineer, Fisherman 1min 31sec

D3 Robert Duchesne former state legislator & radio host 5min21sec

D4 Susan Lessard Bucksport Town Mgr 2min15sec

D5 Steven Pelletier Wildlife Biologist, licensed forester, wetland scientist . 1min 21sec

D6 J. Parker 1min31sec

D7 M. Draper 2min 54sec

D8 R.Duchesne 1min 21sec

D9 S Pelletier and Paula Clark (DEP) 1min 28sec

D10 Melanie Loyzim 1min 18sec

D11 S. Lessard and M Loyzim 2min

D12 M Draper and P.Clark 3min24sec

D13 M. Draper to vote to end 1min 34sec

Nov 25, 2020

Casella Waste calls Penobscot Nation "activist group". Says landfill's leachate treated enuf before pumped into Penobscot River

As printed in the Bangor Daily News 11/22/2020

Landfill and leachate

By Toni M. King, Casella Waste Systems

An activist group is claiming that leachate from the state-owned landfill in Old Town is discharged — untreated — into the Penobscot River. This is absolutely false.

“Leachate” is liquid that passes through solid waste in a landfill. Liquid in waste and rainwater that passes through waste is captured within the landfill, conveyed to a secure tank and transported offsite to a treatment plant.

The state-owned landfill is highly engineered with double liners, leak detection systems and a sophisticated liquid conveyance system. It contracts with the Old Town mill for treatment and disposal of its leachate, as required by law.

The Department of Environmental Protection carefully regulates every step in this process. It limits concentrations in discharges and requires monitoring for a range of parameters. The state-owned landfill and the Old Town Mill are fully compliant with these requirements.

The DEP recently reviewed the landfill’s operations relative to future leachate disposal. It concluded that all applicable licensing criteria for proposed waste discharge were met and the discharge won’t lower the quality of the Penobscot River.

There are five licensed wastewater treatment plants north of Old Town discharging to the Penobscot River. There are 11 more discharging further downstream. The amount attributable to the state-owned landfill – all of it treated – is 1/100,000th of the total.

Wastewater and leachate are collected and treated to ensure the safety of our environment. Disposal from the state-owned landfill is compliant with state law, and a miniscule portion of the overall discharges permitted to the river.

Toni M. King

Region Engineer

Casella Waste Systems

Aug 4, 2020

Don't Waste Maine! Official documents to date

Documents Archive for Don't Waste Maine's requested changes to Maine's solid waste rules.

Contents:
* DWM's petition as received by BEP
* BEP Posting memo
* BEP's 2 page factsheet on the petition
* Chapter 400 Solid Waste Rules (96 pgs) DWM's proposed 3 changes highlighted in yellow on Pg 6 & Pg 21.

Don't Waste Maine's petition as received 1/13/20 by Maine DEP showing the proposed additions and deletions to the existing rule.

BEP Posting Memo March 5, 2020 1 page summary of the accepting of the petition

Excerpt "....The petition was submitted by Hillary Lister of Maine Matters and included the certified signatures of 257 registered voters. ..."

DEP's 2 page Fact Sheet on the petition Summarizes the changes that Don't Waste Maine is requesting . Key excerpts: "On January 13, 2020, the Department received a citizen petition to initiate rulemaking to amend the Chapter 400: Maine Solid Waste Management Rules... ensuring that the definition of ‘‘waste that is generated within the State’’ accurately describes the sources of waste materials disposed in the State, and by requiring ... consideration of the impacts on health and welfare, environmental justice and equal protections for communities where waste facilities operate.’’ The Department is posting the proposed changes to public hearing pursuant to 5 M.R.S. § 8055"

Chapter 400 Rules (96 pages) with Don't Waste Maine's proposed three changes (below) highlighted in yellow on Page 6 and Page 21.

From Pg 6 of the document

TT-1. Equal Protection. “Equal Protection” means protection of all groups of people, regardless of ancestry, class, disability, ethnicity, income, national origin, or religion, from an unfair burden of environmental hazards resulting from waste facility operations.

TT-2. Environmental Justice. “Environmental Justice” means the right to be protected from environmental pollution and to live in and enjoy a clean and healthful environment regardless of ancestry, class, disability, ethnicity, income, national origin, or religion. Environmental justice shall include the equal protection and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of waste management laws, regulations, and licensing decisions.

From Page 21 of the document

HHhh-1. Waste that is generated within the State. “Waste that is generated within the State” means waste materials for which the original point of discard is located within the State of Maine. “Waste that is generated within the State” includes residue and bypass generated by incineration, processing and recycling facilities within the State, only if the materials creating the residue and bypass had an original point of discard within the State of Maine

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Juniper Ridge Landfill entries ofe Penobscot Bay Blog November 2020 to November 2024

Dec 7, 2022

DEP 2022 Info Juniper Ridge Landfill

6/16/22 BEP Agenda 6/16/22 with links Juniper Ridge appeal of Increasing the importation and use of of Bulky Waste for cover

Sep 16, 2021 The new Mound Builders. Will a fresh look at LD 1639 finally bring end to the mass importation of solid waste into Maine?

Nov 25, 2020 Casella Wastes' Juniper Ridge Landfill leachate is it safe?

Jan 21, 2021

Maine Board Of Environmental Protection deliberates, decides on citizen petition to end interstate waste imports 1/7/21 AUDIO MP3s

Nov 25, 2020

Casella Waste calls Penobscot Nation "activist group". Says landfill's leachate treated enuf before pumped into Penobscot River

Aug 4, 2020

Don't Waste Maine! Official documents to date