Think deeper about House Bill 177
TO THE EDITOR:
New Hampshire House Bill 177 calls for a setback of two miles from state parks for new privately owned landfills. Without proper context, this might seem like good public policy.
However, you should ask yourself the following questions of HB 177:
1. Why just state parks and not federal parks, conservation areas or other similar areas?
2. Why just privately owned landfills and not state-owned or municipal-owned facilities?
3. Why a 10,560-foot setback for uninhabited land when current setback criteria is 500 feet from an occupied residence?
The answer to all of these questions is that HB 177 is an attempt by opponents of a single development project to use legislation to bypass the regulatory process and snatch local control from residents in Dalton who deserve the opportunity to consider a business development project in their town.
Without
the disposal capacity provided by the proposed new landfill when the
Bethlehem facility closes in 2026, more than 150 towns, including 50,000
households and 5,500 businesses statewide, are projected to incur $75
million in additional disposal and transportation costs over the next 20
years.
The proposal
includes new recycling infrastructure and is expected to provide more
than $400 million to the state’s economy and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 50 million metric tons through increased recycling rates
and reduced transportation over two decades.
Last
year, we managed roughly 300,000 tons of New Hampshire waste material
and nearly 40% of it was reclaimed, repurposed or recycled. Today’s
modern landfills are a key component to a comprehensive system that
allows us to find a higher and better use for waste material.
We
encourage you to think more deeply about how legislation like this
erodes local control, increases cost of living and will negatively
impact the environment.
Please urge your legislators to say no to HB 177.
Brian Oliver Vice President Casella Waste Systems
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