Closure of Bucksport landfill won't start until next year

Sep. 11—A Bucksport landfill that once took in waste from the town's paper mill now plans to start its state-ordered closure process next year, after officials initially believed work could begin this summer.

American Iron and Metal, the scrap metal company that purchased the former Verso Paper mill in 2015 shortly after it shuttered, also acquired the mill's other holdings, including local dams — which it's currently looking to abandon — and the 109-acre landfill. Under its current license, it could only accept certain types of waste from the mill.

In 2023, the state ordered the dormant landfill to be formally closed because it wasn't meeting the requirements of its license. It fell short on points including proof of liability insurance, documentation of regular inspections, water quality testing and maintenance work on parts of its leachate collection system, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Its north slope had also not been closed for almost a decade, despite orders to do so.

Town officials and residents have for years been frustrated with the company and concerned about getting the landfill closed amid environmental fears over the materials in it. Untreated leachate is allowed to drain directly into the Penobscot River under the license.

Earlier this year, state officials believed closure would begin this summer with additional work done in the 2026 construction season. They also continued to wait on additional documentation they needed for the closure plan, which was already more than 1,800 pages.

The company has not done any work onsite this summer and instead plans to complete the entire closure in one construction season next year, Maine Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson David Madore said Monday.

The state still expects the closure to be finished by the Dec. 31, 2026, deadline, according to Madore. The agency "continues to work with AIM" to get the information it needs for the closure plan.

AIM has repeatedly made efforts to reopen the landfill, including attempts to sell it or partner with the town to allow it to accept other types of waste. Accepting other waste could have made money for the town and helped address a shortage of landfill capacity in Maine, according to the company, but the proposal met with local resistance as residents worried about environmental contamination. The company has also asked for closure deadline extensions.

Most recently, a company representative asked to present to the local Town Council a proposal for the site to accept mercury-contaminated materials dredged from upcoming remediation efforts on the Penobscot River.

The council decided two weeks ago not to even hear that proposal, citing a problematic history with the company and concerns that considering it could open the door to further delays in the closure process.

Penobscot Remediation Trust, which was created by a consent decree to clean up mercury contamination in the river discharged decades ago by the defunct Holtrachem plant in Orrington, said last week it had not been in communication with AIM. It plans to figure out next year what parts of the river could be dredged and where the dredge material would go.

AIM project manager David Bryant did not return a request for comment Wednesday.

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