Request is honored
The Ol' Editor's repeated request for more information on why some people opposed a regional landfill that was proposed for Marion has finally born fruit — a bushel of fruit.
The request, only one reply, brought a 17-page letter, much too long for a letter to the editor. And it was not addressed as such.
Well written and proper in all respects, the letter was from a bright young man of ability. It was informative and only a bit nasty.
Such dialogs should be encouraged. It arrived Monday morning, so we've not had sufficient time to study all the points made.
Briefly, he suggests there is only one valid reason for having the local/regional landfill — money.
He says the money would flow our way for only a brief 30 years, then be gone. He says there is a need for more money, but is not willing to "sacrifice" hosting a landfill.
He notes that he cannot accept the OE's "ploy of innocence." He goes on to say it's a journalist's job to get "both sides" of the issue. He says there is an abundance of information available.
He says the information states that all landfills, eventually, will leak. All landfills will stink. Rodent population will increase. And the environment will be damaged.
He said "I have no doubt that this landfill would be built with the latest technology available and obey the letter of the law."
But his opinion is that, eventually, the landfill will become an environmental problem.
He says no one wants to make a mistake, both opponents and proponents are sincere.
His opinion, boiled down, is that landfills bring immediate cash but can cause long range problems.
He says waste management firms "are not telling the whole story. If they did, they would never find a community to accept their offer."
The OE's opinion is that it has become a moot question. The landfill will be located in Harper County.
Our writer sums it up by saying, "Landfills are not the solution for our disposable way of life." And he points out that "appropriate steps to deal with this enormous problem effectively will never happen."
— BILL MEYER
