By Alexander Dworkowitz
Despite opposition from Flushing residents, the state Department of Environmental Conservation recently approved a waste transfer plant’s bid to treat more solid waste in Willets Point.
Tully Environmental, which opened up a waste transfer facility at 127-20 34th Ave. a year ago, was granted permission March 7 to increase the volume of solid waste it treats from 500 tons per day to 900 tons per day. But the total amount treated would remain at 1,000 tons per day, since the increase in solid waste would be accompanied by a decrease in construction waste volume the company processes.
To protest the arrival of the facility last year, a group of Flushing residents and businessmen formed the Flushing Environmental Reclamation Committee .
Antonia Bryson, a lawyer with the Urban Environmental Law Center that represents the committee, said the approval was not a surprise.
“It’s very, very hard to get the state Department of Environmental Conservation not to approve something like this,” she said.
Bryson cited several committee concerns, including increased odor and traffic as well as disposal of waste water from a holding tank below the facility.
To suppress the odor, the facility is constantly washed down. The holding tank catches the wastewater to prevent runoff into the Flushing River and Bay that would further contaminate already polluted water.
With nearly twice as much solid waste to process, Bryson said the plant and holding tank would require more frequent washings and emptyings.
Bryson is concerned about Tully’s ability to keep up with emptying the tank.
“Who knows what they are going to do,” she said.
Representatives from Tully did not return the TimesLedger’s phone calls.
In reviewing Tully’s application, the DEC determined the changes did not warrant an environmental impact study.
The DEC review said “as a result of this modification, the total daily amount of authorized waste received by the facility would not increase, truck traffic would not increase, on-street queuing would decrease, the amount of (construction and demolition debris) stored on-site at any one time would decrease, and the applicant would install enhanced odor controls.”
The facility resulted from the city’s plan to deal with garbage after closing the giant Fresh Kills Landfill in April 2001. The plan has come under recent fire because of rising garbage treatment costs.
The approval comes despite a conference in October that envisioned Willets Point as a home to shopping, hotels and restaurants.
Bryson said the accepted changes might increase the likelihood the facility would remain in Willets Point beyond the 2005 expiration date of its permit, putting the plant at odds with such grand plans.
“You don’t want to start a new use which is going to be high intensive and very lucrative,” said Bryson. “It’s going to be very hard to shut it down.”
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 141.
