Board grants DEIS extension for IWS, discusses tipping-fee dispute and pilot revenues

The Town of Goshen Board on Sept. 25 acknowledged receipt of the draft DEIS for the IWS project and granted the applicant an extension to Friday, Oct. 24 to respond. Board members and residents used the discussion to revisit unresolved questions about tipping fees, pilot agreements and revenue owed to the town.

Why it matters: The IWS project and its environmental review (DEIS) are central to an ongoing land-use application. Financial arrangements, including per-ton tipping fees and pilot agreements, affect town revenue forecasts and whether prior collection obligations exist.

The board unanimously approved a motion to extend the DEIS deadline to Oct. 24. During public comment and board discussion, residents asked why the town has not collected tipping fees and whether past agreements called for a per-ton fee (some commenters said prior agreements referenced a low fee such as five cents per ton; staff disputed that and said present law and later agreements set higher rates). Board members said the expected operational payments from IWS could include a $1-per-ton obligation once operations begin, which the supervisor estimated could yield roughly $65,000 annually when fully operating; the supervisor also referenced earlier $200,000 payments and other negotiated amounts that require accounting verification.

Discussion vs. action: The formal action was the extension of the DEIS to Oct. 24. The board treated tipping-fee history, pilot agreement increases and retroactivity of payments as matters for staff, attorney and accounting follow-up rather than immediate policy decisions.

What to watch next: The DEIS response and any accounting review of past tipping-fee collections; whether IWS begins paying agreed-upon per-ton fees retroactive to approvals or to build-out milestones.