Article “Agreement reached to sell Harrisburg incinerator to Lancaster authority” goes on to state on the ‘jump page’:
“By buying the Harrisburg incinerator, LCSWMA will have the capacity to handle Lancaster County trash for decades. Aspects of the deal which have been revealed — including long-term contracts with Harrisburg and Dauphin County to provide a guaranteed waste stream, and a 20-year deal with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, which will buy the power generated by the incinerator — mean it is likely to be a significant money-maker for the authority.”
WATCHDOG: Concerning the above “none of the waste buried on the site is officially considered hazardous”, this is a parsing of words. Over the years, the federal and state Environmental Protection Agencies have again and again expressed serious concerns. For the time being, the current state EPA has been muzzled by the Corbett Administration.
Significantly, the edited on-line article omitted the following from the print version: “Warner said, however, that an environmental assessment on the site already has been completed.”
To which we say “Put up or shut up.” We think “environment assessment” is again a parsing of words. The term designates absolutely nothing.
What is needed is a thorough Environmental Impact Study by a reputable engineering firm.
Surprising and somewhat inexplicable is the paragraph: “By buying the Harrisburg incinerator, LCSWMA will have the capacity to handle Lancaster County trash for decades. Aspects of the deal which have been revealed — including long-term contracts with Harrisburg and Dauphin County to provide a guaranteed waste stream, and a 20-year deal with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, which will buy the power generated by the incinerator — mean it is likely to be a significant money-maker for the authority.”
This apparently is simply editorial comment by the Intell on a very controversial matter. Ownership should explain to the editors that revenue less expense = earnings, that revenue in itself does not connote profitability. The Lancaster Newspapers should save editorial comment for its Editorial Pages.
The Lancaster County Solid Bulk Waste Management authority has declined to obtain a proper economic Feasibility Study from outside experts.
What happens when these ‘sweet heart deals’ contracts awarded by Governor Tom Corbett run out or are no longer continued by a subsequent administration? Corbett will have collected campaign contributions for keeping Harrisburg out of bankruptcy court but Lancaster may be stuck with a trash authority close to bankruptcy.
The sky is falling the sky is falling! You remind me of chicken little!
What a great deal for Lancaster! James Warner should be times man of the year!