Residents press for decommissioning clarity and hazardous-waste info

Several speakers sought clarification on the project's decommissioning estimate and the materials-handling assumptions that underpin the bond amount. The applicant told the board that the town code requires a bond set at 150% of the decommissioning estimate and that the project included a detailed cost breakdown; the consulting engineer reviewed the estimate and said it was in line with previous projects.

A resident and an independent reviewer asked the applicant to confirm whether solar panels or associated components would be considered hazardous waste at end-of-life, which could substantially increase disposal costs and require different handling. "If they are deemed hazardous waste, they can't go into a landfill, and the cost will be many times what they proposed," a commenter said. The board asked the applicant to provide equipment specification sheets and any waste-characterization information so the town engineer can evaluate the adequacy of the posted bond.