A representative of 13 municipalities that haul their trash to the Maine Energy Recovery Company in Biddeford said the municipalities should be in good shape if the incinerator ceases operation, because of forethought employed nearly a decade ago.
The Biddeford City Council will hold a second reading and vote on the plan to buy and close Maine Energy for $6.65 million tonight, at a 7 p.m. session at Biddeford Middle School. An affirmative vote seems likely. The city council in an 8-1 vote earlier this month gave its initial approval, authorizing City Manager John Bubier to enter into a purchase and sale agreement for the 25-year-old downtown incinerator.
“We made provisions in the last contract,” said North Berwick Town Manager Dwayne Morin, who along with Kennebunk Town Manger Barry Tibbetts negotiated an agreement with Maine Energy and Casella Waste Systems in 2004. The agreement, which included a broad range of provisions, was part of a settlement the 13 non-host municipalities reached after filing a civil suit against Maine Energy in 2002.
“We had an idea that sometime it would be closed,” said Morin.
Under the terms of the contract, Casella Waste Systems would be responsible for disposing of the municipalities’ trash at the same rates it employs today, he said. Disposal is currently $85.74 per ton. Another clause in the contract with the 13 towns states that if the Biddeford facility were to close, Casella Waste Systems would be responsible for costs associated with transporting trash if a new disposal site is more than 30 miles from the current incinerator. If the disposal site is within the 30-mile limit, the municipalities are responsible for any increase in transportation costs associated with a new disposal location, Morin confirmed.
Both Morin and Alfred Selectman John Sylvester said it is their understanding that if the Maine Energy sale to Biddeford goes through, towns would be transporting their trash to Westbrook, where Casella Waste Systems is currently planning a transfer station. Sylvester, pointing to the contract towns have with Maine Energy, expressed little concern over the proposed sale, but said it may be a topic of conversation at tonight’s selectmen’s meeting.
If the Biddeford City Council votes in favor of the sale and other conditions are met, the deal would close by Nov. 15, incineration would cease within six months of the closing and all but the facility’s smokestack would be removed within one year.
Payment for the plant, at no interest, would take place over 20 years and would be paid by Biddeford alone, which would then own the site. The majority of the payments would come from revenue generated through cell phone company leases and a tax increment financing district fund.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros contributed to this report. Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, Ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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