WEDNESDAY'S HUM (12-13-06)

WILLISTON LANDFILL PRIMER

GET YOUR FILL
Considerable Hum on the streets regarding the proposed 66 acre Williston landfill.
Here's a quick breakdown:

WHY ?

• Consumer would pay approximately 25% less in fees. ( Savings of 3+ million a year)
• There would be less tractor-trailer traffic; it's 73 miles to Coventry and 35 miles to Moretown, where the CSWD ships the trash now.
• Williston's landfill would be more environmentally sound than the for-profit operations in Coventry and Moretown. Both meet state standards, but not New York's more stringent ones. Williston plans to put a 2 foot layer of clay beneath the liner, which is made of 60 mil thick poly. They also will recirc leachate - water running through garbage - instead of extracting it and sending it a wastewater plant.
• Less time and money wasted loading trucks and shipping the waste. More time and money spent on programs/education.
• Local control better for encouraging waste reduction.

WHY NOT?

• Lower property values
• Too close to airport, should be at least twice as far away. Potential problems with seagulls endangering aircraft.
• Landfill not needed. Coventry and Moretown good for 20+ years.
• All landfills leak, according to opponents. Possibility of birth defects. cancer and asthma etc. for nearby residents.
• Trucking will remain the same. For-profit landfills will have to make up the difference somehow.
• Locals worried about landfill growth, traffic, etc.
• Residents near proposed landfill pissed off; claim they weren't privy to future landfill when they purchased their homes. Most agree Williston dropped the ball on that one, not CSWD.

Them's the facts. You decide.

FUEL FOR THE CITY

Ever wanted to keep tabs on local gas stations - just to see who's charging what? Well, we're starting a new weekly feature that keeps tabs on eight stations in Essex, where we're based. We figure we'll have fun seeing what each station charges each week.

Dec 4/ Dec 11 Latest price on the right.

Five Corners Simon's - Mobil - $2.31/$2.31

Maplefields Essex - Mobil - $2.33/$2.33

Essex Discount Bevy - Citgo - $2.33/$2.33

Bushey Sunoco - Full - $2.35/$2.35

Dave Whitcomb Citgo - Full - $2.35/$2.35

Go Go Gas - ? - $2.29/$2.27

Champlain Farms - Exxon - $2.31/$2.33

Fairgrounds Beverage - Citgo - $2.31/$2.33

Love ya. Let's do lunch at the Five Corners sometime.