While a solar farm could be in the cards for the Edison Landfill site, township officials are not ready to move forward in planning for that use.
Members of the Township Council discussed the landfill on June 10 and ultimately voted to table a resolution drafted in support of a solar farm.
According to the resolution, the township met with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Feb. 5 to discuss the closure of the 35-acre landfill and an adjacent tract — a move that could bring a cost savings if done at the same time.
The resolution says it is the policy of the DEP and the state Board of Public Utilities “to promote the development of gridtied solar photovoltaic farms (solar farms) on closed landfills.” A solar farm could also generate revenue for the township, and the resolution would authorize the township to request proposals for the project.
The Meadow Road landfill received municipal waste, construction debris and industrial dry waste from 1958 to 1990. Though it stopped accepting materials at that time, waste from the site continued to spill into the Raritan River for more than 20 years. The township applied to the DEP for its closure in 2004. However, the DEP wanted the township to cap and close the site — a project that would cost millions.
Council President Robert Diehl suggested tabling the resolution on June 10, citing a lack of information and a number of unaddressed concerns. He said the project could have a negative aesthetic impact.
“I’m totally against this resolution,” he said, adding that he agreed with residents who spoke at the meeting and suggested the property be used for open space. “We can’t take and sacrifice the most scenic spot we have in this town for a solar farm,” he said.
He said officials met with the DEP on Feb. 5, but that the members of the council and the open space committee have not received sufficient information to proceed.
“I agree that it should be pulled and reviewed,” Councilman Robert Karabinchak said of the resolution.
Karabinchak said the township has been trying to close the landfill for years but has made no progress in the past 12 years. He said the area is not open to the public, so nobody should assume the site is available for recreational use.
“It’s dangerous,” he said.
Karabinchak said officials may want to explore the possibility of a mix of uses that include a solar farm. He noted that other towns have pursued solar farms for closed landfills because they are a source of revenue for the municipalities.
Councilman Alvaro Gomez agreed that not enough information was available to move forward with a resolution.
“My initial reaction is that I don’t know — for health reasons — if it’s going to be safe if that’s going to be scenic,” he said.
Officials said the DEP’s recommendation is aimed at finding revenue that would offset the cost of closing the tract adjacent to the landfill. At present, the council only has funds to close the landfill site, not the adjacent tract, according to Councilman Wayne Mascola.
“It’s too easy for them to say, ‘This is what you do,’ and then we live with that,” Diehl said.