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New Portland transfer station tightens rules, adds fees after DEP-ordered cleanup
Summary
New Portland selectman Janet White told Somerset County commissioners the town changed hours, introduced a mandatory sticker program and new bulk-waste fees after a DEP-mandated cleanup closed the transfer station earlier this year; shingles and lumber now carry higher disposal costs and burning is restricted.
JANET WHITE, a selectman from New Portland and chair of the transfer-station board, told Somerset County commissioners that her town has implemented major operational changes at its transfer station to reduce costs and comply with Department of Environmental Protection requirements.
“We're no longer open on Fridays,” White said, and added that bulk-waste handling has been "changed dramatically." She said a mandatory vehicle sticker program must be in place by Dec. 31 and that people who bring bulk items will now pay directly for disposal rather than subsidizing the service through general taxation.
White said the station was closed from January until July after a DEP issue and a cleanup. Under new DEP rules the station can accept only limited burnable material: yard waste no larger than 4 inches in diameter. Lumber and construction debris now must be processed as demo (bulk) waste. White said shingles will carry a notably higher fee, which she described in the meeting packet as about $150 to $300 per load.
White outlined steps the board took to reduce operating expenses: shifting from a single full-time attendant to two part-time positions to lower benefit costs, prohibiting commercial haulers from using the town facility, and restarting operations after installing an upgraded burn pad and other equipment.
During a question-and-answer period, White described disposal logistics and costs: crews move a demo container roughly every two weeks, and pickup alone can cost about $2,000 before scale-based disposal charges. She also said the station has resumed service and has improved site cleanliness and equipment maintenance since reopening.
County commissioners and attendees asked about public outreach and safety. White said the town sends a monthly newsletter to residents and will post the new fee/flyer information on county websites. She and other staff stressed they had suspended on-site burning and are hauling material to be chipped in Skowhegan while awaiting testing results from environmental contractors.
The update closed with a reminder that DEP rules and contamination concerns have narrowed what can be burned or accepted at transfer stations and that local costs for hauling and disposal have risen accordingly.
