Public raises concerns with possibility of Milton landfill
By Joel Kost, Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Originally proposed during a
The town
The master plan should be changed because of its age, Levin admitted, but he said the commission wasn't sure if the town has changed its mind on landfills.
"The master plan is basically the voice of the people and the town," Levin said after the meeting. "We want to know if the town has changed its mind so much that we want a landfill."
Selectmen Chairman
"This is going to be an informal meeting about the DES process about C & D landfill," Gray said. "I'm going to ask people to be polite, respectful, and cordial."
The idea of a landfill in
A website called stopmiltonlandfills.com was also created by upset residents that details what the proposal is and why they are opposed to it. Unified under the name
Guilfoy led most of the meeting and answered most of the residents' questions during nearly three-hour meeting. He began by saying that the New Hampshire DES did not know about
Guilfoy spend about 30 minutes discussing the lengthy process of establishing a C & D landfill and how DES would be involved in its maintenance and evaluations. In order to be constructed, the landfill would need solid waste, groundwater release detection, and alteration of terrain permits. The landfill would also likely require a permit for air toxic control.
In addition, the company building a C & D landfill would have to provide financial insurance so that it could cover the cost of taking care of the facility after its closure.
Guilfoy then detailed some of the difficulties of building a C & D landfill and some specifics about its construction. He said such landfills cannot be established in protected areas, and they must be six feet above the water table. They must also be 500 feet away from a residential property line.
The landfill would be double lined to protect from hazardous groundwater, and the company is ultimately responsible for making sure only permitted material is sent in.
Before accepting questions, Guilfoy said the lengthy process would allow ample opportunities for public hearings and comment.
Many of the residents' questions and concerns stemmed from monitoring the landfill and what would happen should the landfill's double line break.
Others asked how the landfill would affect residents' health, the surrounding wetlands, and the Milton Three Ponds.
Residents also drilled the board with questions, asking why the meeting was being held in the first place since the zoning does now allow the use of landfills.
"This change of zoning is going to severely affect peoples life. Looking at master plan, it encourages green, sustainable industry," said
Gray declined to answer questions that did not directly relate to C & D landfills.
Most of the residents' questions also remained unanswered because Guilfoy, Hoyt-Denison, and Giunta did not have
Hoyt-Denison acknowledged everyone's frustration and said many of their questions could be answered later in the process should zoning changes be made and the proposal be put in front of the town.
"We don't have a proposal before us, and all of the questions asked are excellent questions," Hoyt-Denison said. "Those are the types of thing we would look and try to answer and determine if the proposal is adequate under regulations."
The meeting ended shortly before
"There were a lot of good questions. I understand their concerns, I do," he said.
Gray said the next step in the process should be another public meeting between town residents and
"Right now it's about getting the info out to the people," Gray said.
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