Amenia Plans for Landfill Cleanup

In the early 1990s, a department investigation showed that the landfill, which has been in operation since the 1950s, held toxic materials. The organization closed the landfill in the late ’90s because of the waste.

In February 2006, the DEC held a landfill public hearing at Town Hall. All comments, whether verbal or written, were compiled into a record of decision (ROD), or a plan of attack, for remediation.

The DEC’s recommendation, which the town said it would follow, is to dredge the site’s pond and wetland, placing toxic sediment on the ground and capping it with an impermeable layer.

The DEC settlement states that the Amenia Landfill Group, 10 companies and municipalities that joined together in 2000, and the state of New York will provide funds for cleanup. Furthermore, DEC will allow the Town Board to use the funds of the generators, or the other nine members of the Amenia Landfill Group, first.

The Town Board recently distributed a request for proposal, or RFP, in order to hire a "qualified remediation firm," Rea said.

The proposals are due back by the first of next month.

The town of Sharon, Conn., would be responsible for the yearly monitoring and maintenance of the impermeable cap. Sharon First Selectman Malcolm Brown will be present at an upcoming board meeting to discuss the remediation with the board.

The town of Amenia is considering putting "passive recreational uses," as Rae put it, on the landfill property once remediation is finished.

"You could consider the possibility of a pavilion or playing fields," the attorney said. "You have the opportunity to get excellent proposals from some very competent firms. These are some of the finest firms in the country."

Once the board makes its choice, the remediation firm will be in very close contact with DEC, which will pay for roughly three-quarters of remediation costs.

"The DEC will have to approve the design," Rae noted.

Town Supervisor Janet Reagon wondered when work on the landfill will begin if the board awards the contract to a firm by Feb. 1.

"The firm will provide you with a bar chart and you can assume that will be adhered to as close as possible," Rea said. "If you select a contractor in February, by March ... they should have their teams going and they’ll probably break ground by next summer, which will probably consist of dredging the wetlands."

Reagon then motioned to hire McGoey, Hauser and Edsall as the landfill project managers.

"I suggest you hire them. I don’t think they serve any Fortune 500 companies. They mostly work with municipalities," Rae advised.

Reagon added that the supervisors from Newburgh, N.Y., New Windsor, N.Y., and Walkill, N.Y., gave the firm "extremely glowing" reviews.

The motion, which was seconded by Councilman Roger Russell, passed unanimously.

The board meets next on Feb. 8. There will most likely be a landfill update at that meeting.