The bylaw would require any entity that wants to bring another landfill to town to do so via a majority ballot vote, rather than through the council.

Waste360 Staff, Staff

November 10, 2017

1 Min Read
Councilors in Southbridge, Mass., Propose New Bylaw for Future Landfills

In 2015, Casella Waste Systems began thinking about expanding the footprint of its Southbridge, Mass., landfill beyond town limits and onto five acres in Charlton. And in 2016, the company began collecting signatures from local residents in an effort to start a conversation with town councilors about the landfill expansion.

After about two years of battling regulatory and political roadblocks and community opposition, Casella announced in the second quarter of this year that it would close the landfill at the end of 2018 when it reaches capacity.

Now, several of the town’s councilors are proposing a bylaw that would require any entity that wants to bring another landfill to town to do so via a majority ballot vote, rather than through the council. The council approved the third and final reading of the proposed bylaw earlier this week, and the bylaw could be adopted as soon as the council’s next meeting.

Worcester Telegram & Gazette has more details:

With the town-owned landfill on the verge of reaching capacity, several councilors are proposing a bylaw that would make it harder to locate any future landfills in Southbridge.

The Town Council this week approved the third and final reading of the proposed bylaw, which would require any entity that wants to bring another landfill to town to do so via a majority ballot vote, rather than through the council.

The council approved the final reading during its meeting Monday, but delayed adopting the measure until its next meeting, when all the councilors are expected to be present. Two members were absent Monday.

Read the full story here.

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