SPET Money Sought For Landfill

The Board of County Commissioners and the Jackson Town Council have decided to place the Horsethief Canyon Landfill project on the November 6 Specific Purpose Excise Tax ballot. The project is driven by a state requirement that the landfill be capped and other specific improvements be made to County solid waste management facilities. The County’s old landfill, located underneath the present-day Trash Transfer Station, has not received waste in 23 years; however, groundwater contamination has recently been discovered at the site. Among the work required are an improved landfill cap and a surface water diversion system that will mitigate impacts to the groundwater at the site by minimizing surface water infiltration into the trash below, a rehabilitated and expanded usable site at Horsethief Canyon for updated trash transfer, composting and recycling operations; and, designs for improved composting and recycling facilities.  Altogether, $14½ million of SPET funds are being sought for the project.