LOYALTON LANDFILL CLOSURE PROCESS

A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE LANDFILL CLOSURE PROCESS was given by Sierra County Planning Director Tim Beals at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting in Loyalton on Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Beals said the solid waste committee conducted a meeting recently and at the last Board of Supervisors’ meeting directions were given the committee, which conducted a number of items to serve those directions. He stated Plumas County has an ordinance now that prohibits out of county waste. Beals said Sierra County has asked for a meeting with Plumas County in the near future. He met in Lockwood with staff and requested a minimum 15-year contract proposal which would include a tipping fee designed to meet the county’s needs. Beals stated Lockwood would haul waste directly from Loyalton to Lockwood and Sierra County would avoid a tipping fee in Portola, which could be $56 a ton. He expected to see a tipping fee in Lockwood between $20-30 a ton. Beals added this was an opportunity to have “tools in our holster” to negotiate a contract with Inter Mountain Disposal. He said the plan is to convert the landfill to a transfer station. Beals stated, if and when it is approved Sierra County can operate as it has operated in the past, adding it will not change drastically. He said residents will still bring waste to the transfer station throughout the west side of the county and should have very limited interruption, with the only change being the point of delivery for the bins whether that will be Delleker, Loyalton or directly to Lockwood. Beals felt they’ve made good process and expect to close in the next two months, adding it’s been a pretty expensive issue. He stated right now all material is now going to Portola, since the landfill has been a mud hole with all this rain. ​