Waste site search nears end

Discussion about alternatives to a proposed county waste transfer station off N.C. 54 might be at an end.

Orange County Commissioners said Tuesday that a decision had to be made about where to site a proposed waste transfer station that would not involve alternative options or a temporary waste transfer station in the Rogers Road community.

""I think it's been clearly shown that consideration for parallel tracks should end"" said chairwoman Valerie Foushee.

Despite vehement opposition to the proposed waste transfer site in Bingham township off N.C. 54 from residents, county commissioners said they would still consider the site as the prime candidate for the transfer station.

The only thing you guys would like us to do" which I don't think we can do is cancel all the sites we've considered" said commissioner Alice Gordon to objectors.

The proposed waste transfer station would serve as a solution to the county's waste management.

The county landfill, currently located in the Rogers Road community, was originally set to be full in 2011, but as of recently might be usable until 2012.

Now that they have another year, commissioners said they felt they needed more information before coming to a final decision on a site for the waste transfer station.

The commissioners said that's because they were being flooded with conflicting information and reports from town residents and the consultant company.

We just found out we have a year longer" and we need all the information to make the best decision for the long term said commissioner Pam Hemminger.

One point of contention was whether the waste transfer station would handle solely trash or both trash and recycling operations. Preliminary reports issued to the commissioners suggested it would handle both.

Orange County solid waste management director Gayle Wilson told the consultants hired by the county to figure out the costs of a waste transfer station in Bingham township to make it the minimum facility" excluding recycling operations, without consulting the board.

It seemed prudent at the time" but I will keep you informed Wilson told Commissioner Barry Jacobs.

Some commissioners also said they were opposed to a temporary transfer station in the Rogers Road community. Wilson said the temporary station would just involve bringing in trucks to ship the trash out of the landfill before it fills.

I will say that I oppose without any hesitation a temporary waste transfer station in that community" Foushee said.

Commissioners agreed they needed to set up a work session later to analyze the data fully, but a decision needed to be made soon.

I think dragging this out any further is unfair to the Rogers Road community"" said Vice Chairman Mike Nelson. Part of leadership is knowing when to put a period on the end of a sentence.""


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