By Judi Korzec Gilbertville, MA
Let's not refer to this as a "landfill." This is a Regional Dump. While the term "landfill" is technically correct (a term coined by the industry to make people feel better about it), it is not filling a hole with healthy soil to provide for a better environment. It is a multi-material, some toxic — multi-generational Garbage Dump.
The fact is: Dumps are not healthy under any definition — not for the earth — not for the people — not for the long term financial benefit of Hardwick.
Just look at all the other towns Casella has planted themselves. The lawsuits are impressive. NOBODY is raising their hand to have Casella build their Dump in their town. Why would Hardwick?
We all know, Dumps involve digging a huge hole and then refilling it with trash, some toxic materials, and heaping it as high as legally possible. This toxic fill then degrades and leaches into the once healthy earth to spread these toxins into the water tables and earth, all while it spews toxins in the air in the form of methane gas and particulates (odors.)
Dumps are "lined." BUT Casella and the DEP have openly admitted that ALL Dumps leak, the plastic tears and breaks down. Therefore, while much of the leachate (toxic brew that seeps to the bottom of the Dump as it rots and gets rained on) is siphoned off and transported to a sewer system, a lot will still enter the soil — poisoning water sources forever.
On top of that — since our current dump does not have a liner under half of the dump — this creates a bigger issue.
The current Dump is leaching into Muddy Brook and an aquifer. Ask Ware how that worked out. They can't drink their water. And even if you don't care about Ware, you should. Leakage follows all pathways in the earth. No well is safe. No water source is safe. Dumps contaminate. The Dump we have now is still contaminating.
The DEP? Wait, we are relying on government to tell us what is right for Hardwick? The DEP already stated, Dumps leak. Ours leaks now. Obviously, it is okay with the DEP for waterways to be contaminated. One wonders how the DEP would ever allow a huge Regional Dump to be cited so close the Boston's primary water source. Mind boggling. Other states are citing their Regional dumps AWAY from people and NEAR major highways — as New England SHOULD do. These should NEVER be cited in wetlands or near reservoirs.
As for Casella, it does not matter if Casella paid their fines after getting violations. The fact is they have been fined many times AFTER getting caught. They have been sued multiple times, and this lengthy list is readily available for reference. Towns have to sue to get Casella to meet their obligations. Once they are in your town — the town is stuck — ask Southbridge!
As for the current Dump — Hardwick is on the hook.
The current Dump will become Hardwick's $$ responsibility and liability in the near future, per the original terms of the agreement between Casella and Hardwick years ago. Hardwick got money for the trash but soon will be required to cover the costs of transporting the leachate that collects under the current Dump, responsible for maintenance, and is responsible for any lawsuits that arise from this original Dump.
Casella should be paying taxes — we need it to cover all the upcoming liabilities.
Casella's new proposal is asking us to re-open the existing dump to build it higher — AND agree to a massive expansion to drag in trash from across Massachusetts and neighboring states — no longer a Town Dump, but a Regional Dump with new materials allowed — by the 53 foot semi-trailer full. This is not household trash — this is a mix of many forms of trash, many not allowed in the original Dump.
Sure, this will garner big bucks for Casella (as well as contractors), but it will result in exponentially greater liability to Hardwick after Casella leaves town (again) in a few years. So while Casella will take on the liability of the "old Dump" temporarily as it builds its Regional Dump, this merely kicks the liability and burden down the road. Once Casella leaves again, as they have stated they will — the liability and maintenance shifts back to Hardwick — for a much bigger Dump with more toxins — forever.
So ask yourself — is it "unifying" to have the air we breathe filled with toxins, our lands and water contaminated, rats & seagulls, putrid and dangerous odors, 100s of 53 foot Dump semi-trucks screaming in and out of these small towns, and all the associated health risks that are a result of living near dumps?
I would hope no one would wish such ill will to its community, or themselves, and want to leave this legacy of destruction, poor health, and heavy liability for generations to come.
And certainly, no one would choose to live in a town with its major attraction being a Regional Dump. People won't move here — so we won't have to worry about new neighbors. Would you have moved here if a huge Regional Dump was spewing toxins down the street?
Let's take a snippet of memory lane: Remember when Casella presented a remediation plan for the overwhelming number of seagulls? These seagulls were destroying properties with their extensive excrement. Casella proposed blowing horns and flares. So adding to the nuisance, versus taking it away. Great. We are setting ourselves up for more.
Remember the Dump trucks blowing past kids on the street when the Dump was open? — and the trucks were fewer and smaller! The Regional Dump will have 100s of 53 foot major semi-trailers and trucks coming from all over the Region.
The dump may open at 7am, but these trucks line up early, idling away, waiting their turn, spewing exhaust and noise, while they wait.
This was after they sped through our small roads to get there, endangering school buses, children, walkers/runners, tractors, recreation seekers. A great Film exists from when the original dump was open and the flying trucks. It wasn't pretty. Ware even wrote bylaws to prevent these trucks from traveling on certain roads in their town. (which of course, Casella sued them for) And yes, we have trucks today. Gravel trucks, Amazon, school buses, and local trucks...none are 53 foot semis. And not 100 trips a day, and we are not even counting the equally large leachate semi-trucks hauling the runoff.
You remember the odor? People smelled it for a three mile radius when the original Dump was open. The Regional Dump will be considerably bigger, and odors will reach further. The Dump has odor because the air is holding particulates of the toxic trash. You are breathing in those particulates; into your lungs, bloodstream, and brain. That odor is methane (a dangerous gas) and garbage being continually shifted — of a wide variety. From maggots in food trash, to construction pieces, to the hidden asbestos and other chemicals people through away. I am not being an alarmist — if you smell it — it is there.
Science and Research tells you there is an increase in cancer and asthma for those living near a Dump.
Lastly, let talk financials.
Hardwick IS NOT BROKE. That is something that I continue to hear and certainly Casella wants you to believe that.
Hardwick is finally getting its financials in order. We have a very smart and experienced team of folks working with the town via our new Financial Committee. This committee is working with the town, all departments, newly formed committees and identifying pathways that will build up our communities.
Old buildings in town are currently being evaluated for new uses, performing new outreach to bring good businesses to town, and their focus is on tax paying entities versus Hardwick having to maintain empty buildings.
Affordable housing is being evaluated.
And new ideas on our healthcare shortages in town are being evaluated.
As an example, one consideration is an Urgent Care Center. This could be an attractive option to provide healthcare to a town that lacks a nearby hospital, an owned ambulance, and has a volunteer fire department. This could not only provide support for 80% of the emergency services needed, it will generate taxes — and not cost the town!
EMTs — Quabbin High Schoolers and other businesses are being approached to train EMTs to provide valuable real time support to residents.
We all know the "ambulance service" Casella harps on would cost well over a million a year to the town. Its not feasible and would not provide the real time day-to-day health support we need in this area.
More community events are happening — from the lengthening of the Hardwick Fair (more money to town!) to the different groups supporting each other (Farmers Guild and Food Pantry helping out!)
This is REAL progress. This is what Hardwick residents are doing today to build a stronger community. We don't need to destroy Hardwick. We need to keep our focus on building.
That $2 million (if Casella pays it) will be quickly eroded for road maintenance, insurance, legal, police, fire (yes the Dump catches fire) and other fees. Funds will need to be put away in escrow, to cover the fees Hardwick will have to cover when Casella moves on to their next Dump.
Your taxes will not go down. There is nothing in the Casella offer that will drive a reduction. As a matter of fact, people will abandon Hardwick seeking to not live at the base of a Regional Dump and safeguard their health and families. The people with children will leave, leaving Hardwick to pay the gap on the schools.
Very few people would have moved to Hardwick if that Regional Dump was already here. Period.
Why would we even consider going down this path again? Hardwick voted once. They said No. HARDWICK GOT IT RIGHT.
And no — we do not live on an island, but the decision to become the central garbage dump for Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and other New England states, is a choice we have.
You may say... well other small towns were stuck with regional landfills... yes they were, they were duped and are suing. We have an opportunity to completely avoid all of this. Thanks for listening.
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