WMI Spartanburg Expansion Dumped
On March 16, 2006 the Spartanburg, S.C. County Council voted to stop all negotiations with Waste Management (WMI). The citizen groups RESCUE and Upstate Forever hailed the decision. WMI had proposed a new landfill and guaranteed $251 million to the county host fees over thirty years. Although county officials denied citizen action did not sway them, over 3,000 cards had been sent them in opposition. Council members claimed that WMI failed to meet the councils demands. The landfill was to be built to receive trash from many southern states. Citizens had gotten a bill into the state requiring that 50% of the trash be from the Spartanburg area.
Brad Wyche, head of Upstate Forever, said, "It's a great day for Spartanburg County. I think the citizens deserve the credit here. They told council how strongly they opposed this project.? Council member Steve Parker said he had hoped to increase the host free from $2.25 to $3 per ton. This would have resulted in $30 million additional funds to the couty. But councilman Frank Nutt said that WMI had not negotiation in good faith by offering $251 million and then reducing the amount in the draft contract.
On citizen, Joseph George Caldwell, wrote three stirring statements opposing the landfill. For his statement click Caldwell.
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