Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 18, 1993 TAG: 9302180160
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Medium
SUPERVISORS FACE LANDFILL DEADLINE
The Floyd County Board of Supervisors has only two more weeks to decide whether to upgrade the existing county landfill or contract with a private waste management company to handle the county's trash.Nine county citizens representing the Floyd Environmental Action Team spoke on behalf of keeping Floyd's trash in the county and creating an effective county recycling program. No one advocated sending the waste elsewhere.
Murray Bosniak, a teacher from the Pilot area, read a proposal by FEAT.
"We understand that new Environmental Protection Agency regulations have caused waste management costs to skyrocket, and that this forces you to make a very difficult and complex decision," he read. ". . . From Draper-Aden's figures, it seems to us that taking care of our own trash is an economically viable option."
Bosniak and other FEAT representatives said if recycling were added to the waste-management program, it would help lengthen the life of the county's landfill, as well as become a source of employment for county residents and keep the county's money at home.
If the county does decide to upgrade the existing landfill, a ground-water monitoring system must be installed, said engineering consultant Lynn Croy of Draper-Aden Associates. The system is an EPA requirement to monitor the water flow coming from the landfill. Croy suggested two alternatives for that project.
"You could go with a segregated ground-water system, adding five additional wells, or use a combined system, which means you would need two additional wells," she said.
The difference, Croy said, is that the segregated system would use three additional "internal wells" to be placed within the landfill. The combined system does not require those wells, but adds two new wells to the periphery of the landfill.
"You have the same perimeter system with both," Croy said. "You are not any more vulnerable with two additional wells than with five. Whenever there is a choice we recommend avoiding internal wells."
The board passed the combined well system 4-1, over the segregated system. This will be the plan if the county does decide to upgrade the landfill, rather than transport trash out of the county. Vice Chairman Jerry Booth was the only dissenter.
"It doesn't bother me to have those extra wells doing what they're supposed to be doing," he said.
If the county decides to use a private hauler and regional landfill instead of keeping its trash in the county, two decisions must be made: which trucking company to use to haul the waste and which landfill to use.
For trucking, three companies submitted bids: Blue Ridge Disposal Inc. of Christiansburg, Sea Weed Trucking of Floyd and Thompson Trucking of Richmond.
Also, three waste-management companies made bids to the county. The Amelia County landfill outside Richmond will accept Floyd's waste, but at "severe scrutiny," Croy said. A transfer station in the Fort Chiswell area, and the New River Resource Authority also responded.
In other matters the Board of Supervisors:
Heard a request from Emergency Services for the board to authorize $30,000 for the purchase and installation of a countywide 911 communication system. If the money is approved, the system should be in place by the end of the year. The present system would stay on-line as a backup method.
Agreed to talk with the town attorney regarding current litigation before making a decision on a no-smoking policy in the courthouse.
Set another meeting to further discuss the landfill situation for Monday at 7 p.m. at the courthouse.