Pushed by the approaching April deadline for closure of existing landfills, Box Elder County officials are looking at property near Howell, west of Thiokol's Plant 78, as a possible new landfill site.
The county has scheduled a meeting with several Weber County mayors, along with two Box Elder County mayors, to discuss forming a co-op to build a regional landfill at the site.According to Commission Chairman Lee Allen, the site, owned by Richard Peterson, comprises a large basin that initial estimates indicate could contain both Box Elder and Weber counties' solid waste for 150 years.
Recognizing the possibility that plans might not move as quickly as desired, Box Elder County has also signed agreements with both Weber and Davis counties that would allow Box Elder County to deposit solid waste in their facilities if needed.
The commission is also in the process of considering bonding to raise an estimated $1.5 million to cover all aspects of Box Elder County solid waste disposal, including a transfer station and a new landfill.
The county intends to use tipping fees from the transfer station to repay the bond. An estimated $10 per ton tipping fee is proposed, with five or six of those dollars going for maintenance of the facility. An estimated 70 tons per day is expected to be deposited.
Kent Michie, representing Smith Capital markets and Zions Bank, met with commissioners to outline the structure of the revenue bond, pointing out several possible repayment options. He emphasized the need to get going on the process, which includes public hearings, as soon as possible, in order to meet the April deadline.