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A decision too important to be secret

Posted by: Maven on March 30, 2009 at 7:24 am

From the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, this column by Pete Golis:

The topic isn’t sexy. Attending something called the “Landfill Forum” sounds like an act of desperation, what you do if there are no more openings in the lecture series on Best Compost Practices.

But Monday morning’s forum happens to involve a decision that could have lasting economic and environmental consequences.

In Sonoma County, we brag about our devotion to a sustainable lifestyle, but if we get this wrong, we will have a lot of explaining to do.

The story begins with the Board of Supervisors’ plan to sell the county’s central landfill on Mecham Road, south of Cotati. Supervisors say they want to get out from under the costs and liabilities associated with repairing a plastic liner that is leaking bad stuff into nearby groundwater. Officials say it could cost $50 million to abandon the landfill, or $100 million to make it operational again.

But environmental groups and the county’s largest solid waste hauler, North Bay Corp., warn that the sale could leave local consumers at the mercy of a private monopoly, a corporation that would raise rates, discourage recycling and import garbage from other counties.

Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat by clicking here.

March 30, 2009 · Filed Under Northern California

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