Strickland to impose debris landfill fee after all
BY Paul Kostyu
The Canton Repository
COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration reversed course and now appears ready to impose fees on construction and demolition debris landfills to help monitor groundwater.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it was seeking comment on a rule that would impose a 5 cents per cubic yard or 10 cents per ton fee on the disposal of construction and demolition debris.
In April, Strickland dropped the fee from the budget he proposed to the General Assembly, even though lawmakers had authorized the imposition of the fees in 2004, during the administration of Gov. Bob Taft. The budget went into effect July 1 without the fee included.
“The governor was committed to no new fees and no tax increase in the budget,” said Keith Dailey, his spokesman. “He was not going to balance the budget with a fee increase and he accomplished that goal.”
The fee is expected to generate $500,000 annually to be shared among the EPA and local health departments. State Rep. John Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, said the fees had widespread, bipartisan support when they were authorized by the Legislature. The industry also didn’t oppose the fees.
“The bureaucracy moved slowly,” said Hagan, who has worked on landfill issues. “There are some landfills without any kind of wells. If we can get wells and keep a better eye on things, hopefully it will keep our water safe.”
Hagan said he sent a letter to Strickland two weeks ago urging that the fees be imposed.
“I asked him if he could guarantee my constituents’ water is safe,” Hagan said. “Maybe this is a response to that. It’s a shame it’s taken so long to happen.”
Dailey said imposing the fee now was not a change in the governor’s commitment to not raise fees or taxes.
Melissa Fazekas, a spokeswoman for Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski, said the fee was “something everyone had agreed upon. It’s not to help balance our budget. It’s for reimbursement of the program.” She said the fee is outside the general revenue funds that form the budget.
“We’re delighted,” said Jack Shaner, a spokesman for the Ohio Environmental Council. “The EPA director said publicly he was committed to doing the fee, he just wasn’t committed to doing it in the budget.”
Shaner said a 2005 analysis of samplings from nine construction and demolition debris landfills showed that arsenic, lead and other toxic chemicals were leaking from the facilities.
“That made the case that we need a defense early warning system,” Shaner said. “It will take decades to get sufficient funds to get around the whole state, but we’re glad it’s moving forward.”
Public comment on the fees is open until Sept. 12, when the EPA will hold a public hearing at 2:30 p.m. in Columbus.
Ohio EPA: www.epa.state.oh.us
The Canton Repository
COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration reversed course and now appears ready to impose fees on construction and demolition debris landfills to help monitor groundwater.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it was seeking comment on a rule that would impose a 5 cents per cubic yard or 10 cents per ton fee on the disposal of construction and demolition debris.
In April, Strickland dropped the fee from the budget he proposed to the General Assembly, even though lawmakers had authorized the imposition of the fees in 2004, during the administration of Gov. Bob Taft. The budget went into effect July 1 without the fee included.
“The governor was committed to no new fees and no tax increase in the budget,” said Keith Dailey, his spokesman. “He was not going to balance the budget with a fee increase and he accomplished that goal.”
The fee is expected to generate $500,000 annually to be shared among the EPA and local health departments. State Rep. John Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, said the fees had widespread, bipartisan support when they were authorized by the Legislature. The industry also didn’t oppose the fees.
“The bureaucracy moved slowly,” said Hagan, who has worked on landfill issues. “There are some landfills without any kind of wells. If we can get wells and keep a better eye on things, hopefully it will keep our water safe.”
Hagan said he sent a letter to Strickland two weeks ago urging that the fees be imposed.
“I asked him if he could guarantee my constituents’ water is safe,” Hagan said. “Maybe this is a response to that. It’s a shame it’s taken so long to happen.”
Dailey said imposing the fee now was not a change in the governor’s commitment to not raise fees or taxes.
Melissa Fazekas, a spokeswoman for Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski, said the fee was “something everyone had agreed upon. It’s not to help balance our budget. It’s for reimbursement of the program.” She said the fee is outside the general revenue funds that form the budget.
“We’re delighted,” said Jack Shaner, a spokesman for the Ohio Environmental Council. “The EPA director said publicly he was committed to doing the fee, he just wasn’t committed to doing it in the budget.”
Shaner said a 2005 analysis of samplings from nine construction and demolition debris landfills showed that arsenic, lead and other toxic chemicals were leaking from the facilities.
“That made the case that we need a defense early warning system,” Shaner said. “It will take decades to get sufficient funds to get around the whole state, but we’re glad it’s moving forward.”
Public comment on the fees is open until Sept. 12, when the EPA will hold a public hearing at 2:30 p.m. in Columbus.
Ohio EPA: www.epa.state.oh.us
