Much misinformation about Clover Flat landfill | Opinion

When Mayor Ellsworth first raised his concerns on Aug. 11, City Councilmember Mary Koberstein stated that it lay within the oversight of the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency (UVWMA), a joint powers authority that oversees the landfill’s operations. According to the St. Helena Star newspaper, Margie Mohler, Chairperson of the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency (UVWMA) and Steve Lederer, Napa County Director of Public Works, stated that Clover Flat landfill has fulfilled remedial recommendations for fire mitigation and control of excess leachate.

Christy tells me that there has been a lot of misinformation alleged by different groups of people recently, namely followers of Geoff Ellsworth and Malan. Christy is eager to address these allegations, get this behind her and continue her focus on the changes required for a healthy waste management and carbon reduction future.

Christy is now working on conveying the current status with substantive facts while informing the community about the many improvements and changes to the facility. And, contrary to another false misrepresentation, “the landfill is not expanding.” She has invited me as well as others to “come take a tour and learn first- hand how our fully sustainable system is working, landfill waste to energy, recycling, composting and learn about how we are planning to expand on that power generation at our Resource Recovery Park.”

A more appropriate priority is the mandatory compliance to California’s SB1323 covering landfill, organic waste — materials such as leaves, grass, agricultural crops and food scraps. The amazing thing here is that Clover Flat and UVWD is already way ahead of many other disposal services in producing recyclable waste into soil amendments like compost, mulch and organic fertilizers.