
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 16, 1994                   TAG: 9402160342
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD OKS PLAN TO BURN DEBRIS FROM STORM AT LANDFILL

It could take a year or more before things are cleaned up and back to normal in the wake of last week's ice storm, City Manager Bob Asbury predicted Monday. City Council agreed with the assessment and OK'd a plan to let the New River Resource Authority burn - rather than bury - much of the storm debris at the Ingles Mountain Landfill.

"I cannot recall a storm that's had a more devastating impact on the community," Asbury said. He said the storm generated four times as much debris as Hurricane Hugo did several years ago. "We're not going to build another landfill."

Authority Executive Director Charlie Maus told council the authority plans to operate a "trench burner" on the mountain to get rid of the debris. He said state air quality authorities have given preliminary approval to the idea.

"It's very safe and very clean and will burn up all the very large material," he said. The cost of leasing the trench burner would be shared with Pulaski County, the authority's other primary member.

Council also went along with Asbury's request to authorize additional work crews and to cover other extraordinary expenses involved with the cleanup. "We're talking at least six figures," he said.

"Do we have that kind of money?" Councilman Bob Nicholson asked, to no response. Asbury suggested the funds come from the city's reserves.

"We're going to have budget overruns," Asbury said.

City officials are asking property owners to place debris for collection at the curb and to not try to take it to the landfill themselves.

Asbury and members of council praised the efforts of city crews in the wake of the ice storm.

Maus also told council the resource authority would begin shredding tires as part of a waste reduction plan council approved. The landfill would contract to use the shredding equipment on a rotating basis with other landfill operations.

by CNB