New trash authority faces critical vote

By Joe Kelly

With support from many towns (including Norfolk) and the backing of local state legislators from both parties, plans for a regional trash authority, the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority (NRRA), have gained momentum, but face a crucial test. Will the state hand over the Torrington Transfer Station to the NRRA and sacrifice some $3.25 million that could be gained by selling to a private waste hauler?
Supporters of the NRRA see the state-owned transfer station as critical to their idea of developing a smart, eco-conscious solution for managing trash and other waste. But critics question the underlying economics of relying on a public authority and deride the proposed turnover of the Torrington facility as a costly giveaway.

In the meantime, Norfolk and other Northwest Corner towns face a more immediate crisis: they currently depend on the Torrington facility to process thousands of tons of garbage. With no clear directive on its future—become part of the NRRA or get sold to a private entity—the Torrington facility is slated to end operations on June 30.

In late March, the Government Oversight Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly spent hours debating the fate of the Torrington facility. They ultimately sent legislation to the Senate floor endorsing the plan to give it to the NRRA, but even supporters of the bill expressed misgivings and said they would seek changes before it goes before the legislature for a final vote.

A decision was still pending as Norfolk Now went to press. The current legislative session is scheduled to end on May 6. Should the legislature fail to act, Norfolk First Selectman Henry Tirrell said there is no interim plan for where Norfolk will send its trash. Yet he believes that because six towns have formally joined the NRRA, they will have bargaining power over any decision.

The Northwest Hills Council of Governments, the regional planning and coordination body responsible for developing the NRRA, has established by-laws, a governing board and already received a $350,000 state grant to get it operational. Norfolk, Cornwall, Goshen, Salisbury, Sharon and Torrington have all joined the NRRA (Norfolk did so at a town meeting on April 6). The first selectmen of Canaan/Falls Village and Litchfield have also issued statements endorsing the NRRA, bringing to eight the total number of towns formally in support of the plan.

In addition, all five state legislators representing the towns served by the Torrington facility expressed their support: State Representative Mark W. Anderson (R-62), State Representative Joe Canino (R-65), State Senator and Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding (R-30), State Senator Paul Honig (D-8) and State Representative Maria Horn (D-64).

“Being a town of 1,600 residents, we simply don’t have the staff, time or resources to navigate complex procurement processes on short timelines,” Tirrell said in his statement to the Government Oversight Committee. “The NRRA can support small towns like ours, manage contracts, reduce waste and educate our communities.”

Critics of the NRRA, which include representatives of private waste haulers, said residents will end up paying higher rates than they would if the transfer station was put into private hands. “Having NRRA operate the Torrington Transfer Station is financially unsustainable and will require over $1 million annually in public support just to break even,” said Todd Arcelaschi, who serves as both the mayor of Winchester and the administrator of Regional Refuse Disposal District #1, which operates the transfer station serving Barkhamsted, New Hartford and Winchester.

Others who spoke out against giving the Torrington facility to the NRRA included representatives from USA Waste and Recycling, the Enfield-based private trash hauler that has offered $3.25 million to buy it. Edward Spinella, an attorney for USA Waste and other haulers, said the NRRA should be required to publicly disclose the fees it intends to charge. He argued that if they are too high, “The NRRA will struggle to attract customers.” USA Waste has offered five- and 10-year contracts to towns, including Norfolk.
For years, Norfolk and other towns across Connecticut sent their trash to a large state-owned waste processing facility in Hartford where it was burned and converted into electricity. When that plant closed in 2022, Norfolk and other towns were told they could rely on the Torrington facility until 2027. In February, it was announced that the Torrington plant would close a year early, forcing Norfolk and other towns to scramble for other solutions.

Owning a transfer station is not a pre-requisite for operating as a trash authority, but according to Jennifer Heaton-Jones, director of the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA)—which is often held out as a model for what the NRRA would become—having that kind of control offers real advantages. “When an authority has that level of control, it creates a more transparent operation that’s more fair and equitable to everyone involved,” she said.

Heaton-Jones, who has served as executive director of the HRRA for over 10 years, said that when transfer stations are in the hands of large, vertically integrated companies that do the pickup, processing and disposal, towns lose their voice on matters like pricing. Smaller haulers are put at a disadvantage, creating a less competitive environment.

Tirrell echoed this concern: “Without a public facility like this, we will be on our own to enter into private contracts that are often impacted by the limited options in our area. While they may seem like a good option at this time, the concern is where this will leave us in 10 or 20 years.”