Regional solid waste plan still in limbo

Towns in Connecticut have until 2027 to secure solid waste hauling contracts.

Jennifer Almquist

Regional solid waste plan still in limbo

Plans for Northwest Corner towns to join the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority (HRRA) have fallen through due to uncertainty surrounding the cost of the merger.

Leaders from across the region discussed the situation at a meeting of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (COG) Sept. 12.

Contracts with the state for refuse hauling are due to expire in 2027, by which time municipalities must have alternate solutions in place. Some COG towns have signed contracts with USA Waste & Recycling, but as of the September meeting, eleven COG towns have yet to identify a new hauler (Barkhamsted, Canaan, Colebrook, Cornwall, Goshen, New Hartford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon and Winsted).

HRRA represents 14 municipalities spanning from Kent to Ridgefield. Its model allows for local transfer stations to maintain standard operating procedure at no additional cost.

COG heard a presentation from HRRA in July and discussed the possibility of the 11 outlying towns joining the coalition. At a follow-up meeting, HRRA informed the COG that uncertainty regarding the municipal solid waste tonnage totals, along with the lack of a centralized collection center, prevented the group from extending an invitation to the northern towns.

COG is looking into purchasing the Torrington Transfer Station to use as a collection hub for the Northwest Corner towns. The idea is to short-haul refuse to Torrington, which can then be taken to recycling centers, incinerators, or out-of-state landfills.

COG was hopeful that by joining HRRA, the waste could be collected in Torrington, sorted by type, and hauled to HRRA’s network of processors. COG Chair Dan Jerram, first selectman of New Hartford, said the increased workload on HRRA’s small team would have been too much to take on.

“It seemed like a lot of work, and what was the benefit?” Jerram shared. He stressed the importance of COG moving forward with the Torrington Transfer Station purchase and finding a long-term partner for waste management.

Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand said Casella Waste Systems, a large interstate resource management provider in New England, is in the process of acquiring Royal Carting and Welsh Sanitation (an Amenia, New York-based waste company that operates in Western Connecticut).

The sale is expected to be finalized before the end of 2024. Rand said there may be opportunities to work with Casella as it enters the Northwest Corner.

Latest News

Grace Golden

SHARON — Grace Golden, 78, of Sharon, passed away peacefully March 5, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Born Aug. 29, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of the late Ethel Jennings, adoptive daughter of the late Floyd Jennings. She attended Webutuck Central School and received her GED later in life.

Keep ReadingShow less
Attorney General Tong reflects on moral, economic impacts of immigration policy

It was standing-room only for Attorney General William Tong\u2019s talk on immigration at Trinity Church Lime Rock Thursday, March 7.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

LAKEVILLE — Attorney General William Tong knows first hand about the plight of immigrants.

He spoke to a standing-room-only crowd at Trinity Lime Rock Church March 6, which together with those on Zoom totaled 225. The event was hosted by Vecinos Seguros 2, a grassroots organization that works to make sure those without legal status know their rights.

Keep ReadingShow less
Old Saybrook wins 54-36 over Housy in state tournament
Housatonic's Daniela Brennan matched up against Old Saybrook's Breleigh Cooke in round two of the Class S state tournament March 5.
Photo by Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School got knocked out of the state playoff by Old Saybrook High School March 5.

HVRHS, the eighth seed, hosted Old Saybrook, seeded ninth, for round two of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S tournament. As the eighth and ninth seeds in the tournament, both teams earned byes for the first round of the state postseason.

Keep ReadingShow less
In Appreciation: Maureen Brady

Maureen Brady, the first woman to be elected first selectman of Kent, died on Feb. 23 at her home after a long illness.
Brady, who served from 1985 to 1992, devoted much of her life to serving the community she loved.

Moving here with her young family from Queens, New York, when her husband, Thomas, became resident state trooper in Sherman, she quickly got involved in municipal activities by becoming secretary to then First Selectman Eugene O’Meara in 1973, and later to Robert Ward. Ward stepped down after two terms, and with his deep encouragement, she ran and won the town’s top spot.

Keep ReadingShow less