Maine DEP To Hold Public Meeting On Proposed Juniper Ridge Landfill Expansion Public Benefit Determination Application

October 18, 2011

Contact: Samantha DePoy-Warren, Maine DEP Spokesperson samantha.depoy-warren@maine.gov 287-5842 (office) or 592-0427 (cell)

-The DEP must determine there is a substantial public benefit to a proposed plan to triple the landfill?s capacity before an application for the license to expand could be filed by owner Maine State Planning Office and operator Casella Waste Systems-

ORONO ? The public will have an opportunity to hear from those behind a plan to expand the Juniper Ridge Landfill how they believe the proposed project will benefit the state at a meeting next week.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting on Monday, Oct. 24 in Orono on the application for a determination of public benefit on a proposed expansion from the Old Town landfill?s owner ?the Maine State Planning Office? and operator ?Casella Waste Systems.

Casella hopes to expand the existing landfill, which the state has owned since 2004, by an additional 143 acres north of the currently-permitted landfill. 108 acres would be added to the landfill footprint with the remaining newly-developed 35 acres for infrastructure including roads and sedimentation ponds.

The proposed project would be constructed in three phases and extend Juniper Ridge?s capacity from 10 million cubic yards to approximately 32 million cubic yards, which according to the application will ?provide long-term state-wide disposal capacity for the next 20 to 25 years that is not presently available elsewhere in the state.?

Under state statute, prior to a disposal facility submitting an application for the license needed to increase capacity, the Maine DEP must first make a determination that the proposal provides a substantial public benefit.

Public benefit is assessed, in part, based on whether an expansion would meet the state?s disposal capacity needs and would be consistent with Maine?s waste management plan.

DEP staff will consider the application for public benefit determination as well as any public comments made at the meeting or subsequently in writing in making their decision in the coming months.

At the Oct. 24 meeting, a summary of the information concerning the proposed expansion and its public benefit will be presented and the public will have an opportunity to comment and ask clarifying questions.

The public meeting will be held at the Black Bear Inn off I-95 Exit 193 in Orono from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24.

All documents received by the DEP related to the public benefit determination including the application and public comments are available online at http://maine.gov/dep/rwm/juniperridge/. Interested parties may be placed on a list to receive updates related to the application and its review by contacting DEP Project Analyst Cyndi Darling at 941-4580 or cyndi.w.darling@maine.gov.

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