Dive Summary:
- The Maine Government Oversight Committee has declined a request for investigation into operating practices at Casella's Juniper Ridge Landfill.
- This was the third time the committee has debated the merits of an investigation. In this instance, the panel voted to wait for elections of a new state legislature for future consideration.
- Casella previously purchased the rights to operate the landfill from the state in an eight year, $26 million contract
From the article:
The request for an investigation into Casella Waste Systems operations of the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town has been discussed by members of the Government Oversight Committee on three prior occasions. But concerns about Casella's operational practices and their impacts on statewide solid waste programs will have to wait until next year.
Committee Chair Sen. Roger Katz says staff at the Office of Program Evaluation and Governmental Accountability is already overburdened with work and that he did not feel that the issues raised by members of public justified opening an investigation into Juniper Ridge. "I would like to suggest that we do not move forward with any kind of a review on this subject," Katz said.
Concerns have been lodged with the committee about a number of issues related to Casella Waste Systems, which purchased the right to operate the Old Town landfill for the state eight years for $26 million. The State Planning Office was originally charged with overseeing the state's agreement with Casella. Now that that agency has been dismantled by the LePage administration, some committee members wondered how those responsibilities would be handled.
