EPA RCRA Plan Could Ease Efforts to Burn Solid Waste as Fuel
The EPA plans to begin a rulemaking to define non-hazardous solid waste under the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) that could allow facilities to burn waste as fuel without being subject to stringent incinerator emission controls. The rule is important because the definition of non-hazardous solid waste was thrown into doubt by a June 2007 ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which vacated EPA's air rules both for boilers and industrial solid waste incinerators. Industry groups argue that certain materials should be defined as fuels, including coal refuse, tire-derived fuel, biomass fuel such as wood and agricultural materials, biofuel and gas pipeline condensate. Other materials should be considered a fuel if they are handled properly, managed as a commodity or processed to enhance its fuel value...Read More »
NY-based ReEnergy Makes another Bid for SPSA
Albany, NY-based ReEnergy Holdings LLC has revived its offer to buy the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) outright, for at least $205 million. ReEnergy made a similar, but less detailed, bid for SPSA in August, but its proposal was rejected by agency leaders. The new offer would provide enough to retire most of SPSA's $240 million in debt and could result in lower disposal fees within the next few years. ReEnergy wants to buy all of SPSA's assets, including the regional landfill in Suffolk and nine transfer stations, and would invest in improvements to the waste-to-energy plant in Portsmouth. They propose to sign 20-year service contracts with each of the eight member communities and increase recycling incentives...Read More »
California Waste Broker Accused of Embezzling Millions
Santa Clara County Calif. prosecutors have accused a local waste broker of embezzling millions that otherwise should have been paid to Waste Management in a scheme that lasted more than a decade. According to the Associated Press, James Lucero, 52, pocketed fees from clients and paid bribes to employees of Waste Management's Kirby Canyon landfill in San Jose to waive disposal fees or misclassify waste contents to lower those fees. Waste Management, which claims to be out $13 million, subsequently fired nine employees allegedly involved and is working to repay the city of San Jose for taxes and fees it lost in the scam...Read More »
Indiana Suspends Funding to Support Recycling
Indiana's Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) said it has temporarily halted funding for state grant and loan programs that support recycling and pollution prevention at least through 2010. Citing the impact of the recession, the agency said in a statement that it was doing so because it "may not be feasible" for cash-strapped local governments and businesses to provide the matching dollars needed for the state-funded programs...Read More »
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