July 23, 2008 — This year for the first time, the territory's wastewater met all territorial pollution discharge elimination system (TPDES) limits, V.I. Waste Management Authority officials told senators Thursday during budget hearings.
This is thanks to the completion of the St. Thomas Red Point Water Treatment Plant, previous completion of major upgrades to the Anguilla Waste Water Treatment Plant and several other capital improvements, WMA Executive Director May Adams Cornwall told the Finance Committee.
Plans to have a long-burning underground fire at Anguilla Landfill put out were delayed by a month, but are on track for mid August, Cornwall said. (See "Anguilla Landfill Will Close After Fire Extinguished.")
"I want the community to know we've negotiated the contract with Williams Fire and Hazard Company and have been meeting with VITEMA," she said. "We are doing everything in our power to make sure this project goes well."
The Anguilla Landfill is scheduled to close Dec. 31. Although no waste can be accepted after that date, federal law and a mandate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency require capping of the landfill, monitoring for environmental contamination, testing for levels of methane and other gases produced by buried garbage, and installation of a gas-collection system. The fire must be extinguished before these measures can be taken.
Noting that Gov. John deJongh Jr. mentioned restructuring the WMA in this year's State of the Territory Address, Sen. Liston Davis asked Cornwall about the status of the agency.
"(DeJongh) said we may need to be brought into the central government as a standalone agency," Cornwall said. "And that is what he proposes to do, with legislation we believe is about to come down."
(See "Waste Management Meeting May Clarify Its Future.")
For fiscal year 2009, the governor's budget proposes a total of $38.8 million for the WMA. Of that, $32.3 million would come from the general fund and another $6.5 million from special funds.
Charged with territory-wide collection and disposal services, the WMA runs the territory's sewer and wastewater-treatment systems and its solid-waste-disposal systems. It has 168 employees and another 39 vacant positions.
Present at the hearing were Davis and Sens. Terrence "Positive" Nelson, Ronald Russell and James Weber III. Sens. Juan Figueroa-Serville and Carlton "Ital" Dowe were absent. No votes were taken.
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