March 6, 2020
Colorado

Commissioners eye ban on turbine blades in county landfill

Concerns of space, toxic contamination to be considered | By Jeff Rice | Sterling Journal-Advocate | March 3, 2020 | www.journal-advocate.com

Wind turbine blades won’t be buried in the Logan County landfill any longer.

Although no vote was taken, the Logan County Commissioners were in agreement at their workshop meeting Tuesday morning that a prohibition of the blades was in order.

Matt Chrisp, landfill supervisor, told the commissioner the landfill has accepted three blades in the past eight years, and all of them were from outside the county. Chrisp said the blades have to be cut into 10-foot lengths so the county’s equipment can handle them.

Board Chairman Joe McBride asked whether a chipper at the landfill could be used to grind up the blades. Chrisp said the chipper would handle the blades but there is the danger of toxic particles from the blades getting into the air.

Commissioner Byron Pelton told the board Lincoln County has banned wind turbine blades from its landfill, mostly because there isn’t enough trash to cover them and they lay exposed for long periods of time. Chrisp added that Kit Carson County also bans them, and Wyoming has legislatively prohibited disposal of the blades in any landfill in that state.

Chrisp told the commissioners it would be easier for his people if the blades were just banned altogether so staffers wouldn’t have to take time to find out where the blades are from. He said he would need some documentation from the commissioners to enforce such a ban.

The commissioners said they would take the matter under consideration. Special use permits Logan County has issued for the renovation of turbines on two wind farms near Peetz specify that the old blades cannot be disposed of in the Logan County landfill.

During a brief business meeting the commissioners approved renewal of two liquor licenses in the county. The F&H Park and Recreation District had asked for renewal of malt beverage license for the golf course on County Road 30 between Haxtun and Fleming, and Reata Liquors at the Interstate 76 interchange near Crook had requested renewal of its retail liquor store license.

In other business Tuesday the commissioners:

Approved the purchase of two Freightliner 114SD 2021 trucks from Transwest Truck Trailer for a total of $273,843. The trucks will be used for hauling, towing and snow plowing;
Approved a right-of-way agreement with Sitewise for Xcel to install a gas line under Corene Road east of Sterling;
Approved a special event liquor license for an event to be held at the Logan County Fairgrounds on June 6, 2020. The request was from Community Foundation of Northern Colorado;
Appointed Morgan Lulf to the Logan County Fair Board for the commercial exhibits and parking chairman position.

The next business meeting will be held March 17 at the Logan County Courthouse.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/03/06/commissioners-eye-ban-on-turbine-blades-in-county-landfill/