It’s been on the radio and in the press, and at Tuesday night’s meeting the commissioners once again addressed the topic: the proposed rubble fill at the Alexander farm site outside Massey. At the meeting the commissioners, none of whom have a publicly-stated position on the project either pro or con, agreed to set aside $60,000 for legal fees and research. County Administrator Susie Hayman said the county wants to check the numbers in the proposal.
At the June 28 meeting members of Kent Recycling & Land Reclamation gave a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed rubble fill in the northern part of the county near Massey. The rubble fill would be on 339 acres and would be screened by trees. There is already a rubble fill in place on the site. Kent Recycling would own and operate the facility under a management agreement with the county.
According to documents provided to the county by Kent Recycling & Land Reclamation, the facility would receive approximately 1,200 tons of construction and demolition materials per day from locations in Maryland and Delaware. The documents also indicated that the site would be able to hold more than 36 million tons of debris. The Maryland Department of the Environment defines acceptable materials for rubble fills as “land clearing debris, demolition debris, construction debris, scrap tires, asbestos waste, household appliances and white goods and processed debris.”
During the June 28 meeting Daniel Saunders, a lawyer for Kent Recycling, said that the facility would also be set up to recycle and sort material for re-use. He said the goal of Kent Recycling was to eventually have the rubble fill be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.
The commissioners expressed concern about the proposed facility’s potential impact on groundwater and on the Sassafras River. Terri Phillips, an associate and senior consultant with Golder Associates Inc., a global consulting, design and construction firm, said ground water monitoring wells would be installed before construction on the rubble fill began to establish a baseline for water quality near the site. She also said the wells would continue to be monitored throughout the life of the rubble fill and for five years after the site has been capped.
She said the rubble fill would be lined to prevent the release of materials leaching into the groundwater, and a collection system would be in place for storm water runoff.
If the rubble fill passes, it has the potential to bring 22 full time positions as well as more than $72 million in revenue and fees to the county over its lifetime, according to the presentation by Kent Recycling.
The commissioners declined to comment on the proposal until it had been reviewed by the planning commission and the economic development office. A public hearing on the rubble fill has been tentatively scheduled for Aug. 16.
For more information about the proposal visit:
Mailman Jack says
Are these the same folks that tried for years to put a rubble dump in Millington? Have they just moved up the road and are trying to hoodwink the public again? Twelve thousand tons of debris per day means how many trucks per day? Potential for 22 full time positions and $72 million. Also potential for an environmental disaster, plummeting land values, and ugly court cases. And can someone find out who exactly owns and operates this company. No info on their “website”.
Marge says
Might anyone know what has happened or is happening or is to happen to the old brick farmhouse that I believe was on this farm?
eliott says
this will be the largest revenue for kent county EVER . know H&k they are the real deal would be the largest company to ever develope in county and they are first class. As a broker redeveloped a gravel pit into 800,000 sq ft building now houses 500 workers.they are forcasting 1,200 tons a day by rail and truck each truck holds 22 tons rail car 100 will not add that many trucks on an interstate. Do not have to hire any experts there are people in county that know about land fills. the issue is the deal. we should get tipping fee of 2 at entrance not after reclycle because 50% will be; so only get $1 of net .50% of tipping fee should be locked box for education. lets not get this bogged down take to 1mm for schCould also use 00 acr for solor farmools now give each student new computer tis year.Also could use 100 acres for solor farm.a line c&d site is way better for water table then open gravel pit.
Mailman Jack says
If the commissioners are “setting aside” $60,000 for legal fees and research it sounds like a done deal, even if none of them will say they approve of the dump. Explain that $60,000 to your furloughed employees, or maybe to the ones that are looking for work now. It’s disgusting how some money is just “found” after the fiscal year starts, and government thinks that no one is looking anymore.
John M says
@ Marge, The old brick farmhouse is not located on the Alexander property, it is located on a farm not involved with this proposal.
Geobart says
Mailman, $60,000 would have enabled the Commissioners to pay the balance (or a good chunk of it) of the premium for the LOSAP program for the volunteer firefighters too.
Interesting how the priorities settle out isn’t it?
Keith Thompson says
Or you can think long term return of investment…setting aside $60,000 now to secure an assumed done deal that brings in new revenue, could mean that the new revenue either offsets future deficits or (if the tax revenue has already bottomed out) you’re now running a budget surplus so that you can fully fund LOSAP in the future.
Mailman Jack says
@ Keith- there will not be a budget surplus for a long time. @ Eliot- could be, not will be. Unless you have some inside info of course. Who are H & K ? Sounds like the folks behind the curtain don’t want their names on anything but the checks. This deal just doesn’t pass the “sniff test” Literally or figuratively.
Geobart says
@Keith – While I understand your point, it is interesting how our commissioners are quick to fund potential future opportunities while shirking current obligations for real people, volunteering their time in Kent County. And I might add, they were going to try and sweep that cut under the proverbial carpet (notifying affected fire companies with a late arriving letter). Talk about not passing a sniff test….
Keith Thompson says
@Mailman Jack. I’m not indicating that Kent County will be having surpluses soon, but having revenue sources (possible rubble fill or concerts at Hopkins Game Farm) means economic activity that can help fund things like LOSAP. Is the rubblefill a done deal? Probably not, but such an enterprise looks to be a reasonable fit with the comprehensive plan given that it’s along the Rt. 301 corridor where the county wants it, and that the site is on a site already being used as a quarry. All of the i’s need to be dotted and t’s crossed and the Sassafras River Association will be in there asking the tough questions, so I’m comfortable with it. I can certainly understand why some peoplee are not. This is why we have the process.
Gren Whitman says
“This is why we have the process” — Keith Thompson (above).
Mark Twain said the difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
In this case, it’s a point expressed perfectly.
Thank you, Keith!
Keith Thompson says
@Geobart
It’s about taking advantage of the opportunities when they come and trying to think long term rather than short term. It’s sacrificing short term pain for long term gain. Queen Anne’s County is paying the price for short term thinking right now because they’re budget has them drowning while Kent County is at least clinging to a life jacket.
Phil Auld says
Please allow me to respond to a few comments that have been made. My name is Phil Auld and I am the operating partner for Kent Recycling and Reclaimation.
First the actual estimated volumes that could be processed at the proposed site is about 1200 tons per day, not 12,000.
Most of this volume now comes thru the County as it goes to Virginia.
There is a real need for a LEED (Recycling) facility in this area. Many new building permits require recycling of left over material from job sites. There are currently no facilities that offer this service in the Northern Delaware or Eastern Shore areas yet many permits require it.
We are a partnership of Haines and Kibblehouse of Skippack, Pa. Pleasants Development of Clarksburg, Md. And my company AMA LLC of Wilmington, De. We all have web sites that can be accessed by search engines such as Google. My two partners have long standing busnesses and I have over 25 years in the industry.
This project brings over $700,000 in annual revenue to Kent County. We will provide 22 well paying jobs with benefits that will add over $1,000,000 in wages that will be spent in the community at local busnesses.
This revenue comes with no grants, infrastucture, or costs from the County. We are even offering to fully fund a position for the County to oversee compiance of the facility with all County, State and Federal permit requirements.
Mailman Jack, we are not in any way affilated with the Millington Project. We will not harm the enviornement in any way. Regulations that were put into effect in the mid 90’s have made these facilities ultra safe and there are many safe gaurds that are put into place to insure that they are just that.
We invite everyone to review our web site at http://www.kentrecyclingandrec.com. We will be glad to anwer any questions you wish to ask and will be glad to meet with any group to discuss the project.
Thanks for allowing my comments;
Phil Auld
Keith Thompson says
Gren, thank you.
Steve Payne says
I used to live near the Pleasant’s site in Upper Marlboro. It was attractive and well run and they kept the surrounding streets clean.
Mailman Jack says
@ Mr Auld, thanks for the detailed answer. I’m not used to that.
rcg says
Please, let,s not squash another opportunity..it is time for the Shore to find middle ground…in this day and age, i truely believe that the proper environmental controls will be adopted.
We do not have to live in an all or nothing world here.
yes…i am a Shore Native…
MBTroup says
MMJ says “there will not be a budget surplus for a long time.”
Pat Meritt would probably disagree.