‘Not in my backyard’ is the one clear objection to monofill

The Mat-Su Borough has again said “no” to Central Monofill Services and its application for a conditional-use permit for a disposal landfill south of Palmer. The most recent “no” was given by the Mat-Su Borough Board of Adjustments and Appeals. The proposal had been given a “no” answer twice by the Borough Planning Commission.

I have no connection with Central Monofill Services (CMS). Other than being a concerned citizen, I have no vested interest in their proposal. There is simply no reason to denounce CMS. The company is attempting to provide a service and make money. Making money is considered honorable in America. Running a clean operation is in their best interest.

The Mat-Su Valley, along with the rest of the nation, is faced with a huge problem. We are developing a “throw-away” society. Every family in the Mat-Su Valley is participating.

We all handle plastic, paper and metal that is destined for disposal. The list of throwaways is constantly expanding. It includes furniture, stoves, refrigerators, bicycles, appliances and cars.

I live less than one mile from the borough’s central dump. I faithfully haul my throwaways to the dump. I separate the “recyclables” and drop them off at the recycling center, which is also in my backyard.

The recycling center is a beginning, but is a bad joke compared to the volume that is being dumped, smashed and covered at the close-by borough operated dump. The dumping at the borough facility is essentially unregulated and without inspection. The dump is currently headed for a major expansion.

The challenge is greater than the throwaways headed for the borough central dump. We are building throwaway buildings. Architects and engineers are designing buildings and cost-obsessed owners are building buildings that have an expected short lifetime.

Here in our Valley, we have recently watched the disappearance of two landmark shopping malls. The Cottonwood Creek mall in Wasilla and the Carrs mall in Palmer are no more. Bulldozers, cranes, and trucks have taken them down and hauled them away to a dump in our collective back yards. The process will continue. Every big box store in our area will become obsolete and face some sort of disposal future.

Anchorage is ahead of the Valley in the dump game. They have many more people generating dump-ables, and the Anchorage municipality has limited space, being surrounded by water and mountains. It is understandable that they are looking to the Mat-Su Valley for dumping space that is just outside their back yard.

To their credit, CMS has produced and presented extensive scientific studies and evidences to the planning commission and to the Mat-Su appeals board. Those who strongly oppose the proposal have presented little relevant information, and their promises of finding a better site can show no activity that supports their offer.

Their protest has only one clear objection: not in my back yard. They choose to ignore information and to embrace self-interest. Their voice is completely silent about the planned expansion of the borough’s dirty central landfill.

In full view, the borough has become the true hypocrite. They operate the dirtiest landfill in the area and are planning to expand the operation.

The borough, its assembly, its boards and its management have ignored what is going on. They have given a firm “no” response to a company that proposes to recycle much of the potential disposables and to dump only benign materials in the landfill.

The flat “no” of the borough is unthinking and hypocritical. An unexamined “yes” answer would not be acceptable to the public interest. The disposal problem is not going away. Further, any proposal will be in someone’s back yard.

The key to the future is regulation. To put together regulations that enable disposal and at the same time protect the public will demand hard work by the borough staff and assembly. The rules must be clear, and the enforcement must be real.

Regulations may address short-term issues, but another key issue is the buildings we build. Architects, engineers and owners need to include longevity in their standards as they create buildings for the future.

Howard Bess lives in Palmer and regularly writes columns for the Frontiersman Faith page.