Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 17, 1992 TAG: 9203170291
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLYE
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Terry Lyon, an engineer working on an incinerator proposal, told the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors Monday night that arsenal officials are discussing that possibility with the Army.
Lyon said the arsenal would still benefit from the steam energy generated by an incinerator built at the arsenal, which is its main concern.
Still, arsenal officials would like to be able to use the landfill along with localities in the New River Valley. The arsenal needs to find a way to dispose of hazardous waste such as propellant scrap.
Lyon said it is possible that ash from such an incinerator could go into municipal landfills, if it can be shown that, after burning, its hazardous-waste content is no worse than what already goes into them.
Supervisor Bruce Fariss doubted this, arguing that government landfill restrictions have only gotten tighter, never weaker.
Fariss did not like the incinerator proposal anyway, since it requires a study and, meanwhile, all other approaches are put on hold.
Lyon said the proposal is simply an idea to address solid-waste concerns and would require cooperation from valley localities.
Supervisor Joseph Sheffey asked if the arsenal would continue being interested in the project if Montgomery County did not join in. Lyon said probably not because the incinerator needs to get about 400 tons of waste a day - the amount it would get if the arsenal and all localities participated - to be cost-effective.
He said Montgomery County had expressed interest at this point in studying the matter further.
The arsenal would pay $27.5 million of the estimated $75 million price tag for the project. The other cost figures under discussion are $25 million from Montgomery County, $13.5 million from New River Resource Authority, $6.5 million from Giles County and $2.5 million from Floyd County.
The board meeting also included a public hearing on Pulaski County's proposed 70-cent tax rate for 1992-93. The rate is 5 cents below the present one but, because a reassessment has raised property values, amounts to a 6-cent rate increase overall.
Four people spoke and generally opposed the suggested rate. Harold Parks suggested a 65-cent rate. Colbern Linkous, who is also on Dublin Town Council, said teachers should not necessarily get a raise next year because they missed one this year.
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on March 18, 1992.
Army officials are considering providing space on Radford Arsenal property for a municipal solid waste incinerator for the New River valley. Because of a reporter's error, a Tuesday story said the space would be for a landfill.
Memo: CORRECTION