North East landfill selected for methane mitigation

The Hudson Valley Regional Council has selected the North East town landfill for biofilters to reduce methane leaks.

Photo by Nathan Miller

North East landfill selected for methane mitigation

MILLERTON — The Town of North East’s landfill will be one of the recipients of biofilters to reduce the amount of methane it leaks into the community.

Early in September, the Hudson Valley Regional Council was selected to receive $3 million through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, which will benefit 14 different towns.

“That is being organized by the Hudson Valley Regional Council,” North East Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said. “They’re going to be helping not just our town, but a whole group of towns … which is to install mulch filters over the exhaust vents in town landfills.”

With this grant the Hudson Valley Regional Council can install biofilters which will decrease the amount of methane being released into the atmosphere from closed landfills within the Hudson Valley area, while also promoting the installation of solar arrays.

About 93% of emissions produced in the town of North East come from its landfill. This project will aim to reduce the amount of emissions the landfill leaks with natural filters of mulch and woodchips containing methane-eating bacteria.

“I’ll be surprised if it’s even this year. They have a lot of work to do. It’s not up to us to do that work,” Kennan said. “It is the Hudson Valley Regional Council that has to do the work. They have to decide on what the right technology is, what’s the right mulch, how much mulch.”

Latest News

Frozen fun in Lakeville

Hot-tub style approach with a sledge-hammer assist at the lake.

Alec Linden

While the chill of recent weeks has driven many Northwest Corner residents inside and their energy bills up, others have taken advantage of the extended cold by practicing some of our region’s most treasured — and increasingly rare — pastimes: ice sports.

I am one of those who goes out rather than in when the mercury drops: a one-time Peewee and Bantam league hockey player turned pond hockey enthusiast turned general ice lover. In the winter, my 12 year-old hockey skates never leave my trunk, on the chance I’ll pass some gleaming stretch of black ice on a roadside pond.

Keep ReadingShow less
Garet&Co returns to Norfolk

Emma Brockett, Josalyn Cipkas and Tiffany Oltjenbruns in rehearsal for “From All Angles.”

Elias Olsen

Garet Wierdsma and her northern Connecticut-based dance company, Garet&Co, will return to Norfolk for their third annual appearance with Dance Workshops on the next three Sundays, followed by two performances of “From All Angles” in Battelle Chapel on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 23, at 4 p.m.

In “From All Angles,” audience members will witness Garet&Co translate three of the works presented at their fall show, “Can’t Keep Friends,” danced in the round, where viewers can witness each piece from a new angle.

Keep ReadingShow less