Skagit County commissioners are likely to approve on Tuesday a new comprehensive plan for managing the county’s solid waste system.
The commissioners should cast their vote at 9 a.m. Tuesday, in their hearing room at 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon. The plan, which has been in the public eye for more than a year, will be the subject of a public hearing before the vote.
Key changes from the old plan include a new Solid Waste System Governance Board that gives city mayors a role in the decision-making on solid waste, and a policy that restricts the county to one transfer station in order to capture the full economic benefits of the waste stream.
Private companies that wish to build a second transfer station must first go through the new governance board, according to the proposed management plan. Deluxe Recycling and Disposal of Ferndale has already applied for a building permit for a transfer station in Sedro-Woolley, but that project has been appealed.
The Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan won’t be fully approved until the cities also adopt it.
Also on Tuesday, the county commissioners will hold a public hearing on the county’s six-year plan for transportation improvements. This hearing is also scheduled for 9 a.m., to take place before the solid-waste hearing.
