A Threat to New Hampshire’s Pristine Natural Environment
If you value northern New Hampshire’s pristine natural environment, you should be aware that a massive new landfill is threatening it. Casella Waste Systems—a multi-billion-dollar Vermont corporation with a shameful environmental record—wants to site this dump right in the middle of the Ammonoosuc River watershed, half a mile from the clean waters of Forest Lake and in one of the highest-ranked wildlife areas in NH.
North Country Alliance for Balanced Change is working to protect the environment and the health of our White Mountains communities from this deeply harmful and unnecessary project. Casella’s dump—which has the innocuous name Granite State Landfill—would cover 147 acres of forest and wetlands, an area 75% the size of Forest Lake. It would be the third huge landfill in northern NH and among the largest in New England.
1800 Tons of Trash Daily for 18 Years
The proposed dump would be in the tiny working-class town of Dalton, which Casella targeted because it has no zoning to control development. 1800 tons of trash would be dumped in Dalton every day for 18 years. And half the trash would come from out-of-state. Now, Casella is threatening the entire state with false and fearful stories of waste capacity issues and disposal costs if the dump isn’t built.
No need for new landfill capacity
New Hampshire does not need new landfill capacity. According to the NH Department of Environmental Services and testimony by waste industry leaders, NH has room for its own trash until at least 2034—& realistically for decades beyond — with anticipated waste reduction measures and expansion at existing facilities.
The wrong place for a dump
The EPA tells us all dumps leak, especially in areas with porous gravel soils and fractured bedrock like this Dalton site. Leaks and spills of leachate carrying toxic PFAS “forever” chemicals that would travel rapidly, damaging the watershed, its rivers, lakes, and groundwater, including the private wells of home owners.
Our small towns would suffer
Huge trash haulers would make 200 trips a day through our villages’ main streets on roads not meant for such traffic. 8,000-gallon tankers full of toxic leachate would roll past our elementary schools multiple times a day. Our historic reputation as a tourist and recreation destination and our economic vitality would be ruined.