Notice of Scoping for Regional Composting Facility and Recycling Infrastructure
Addresses of possible locations: 38 Maple Street, Kent CT, 06757; 55 South Street, Ridgefield CT
Municipalities where proposed action might be located: Kent, Ridgefield
Project Description: Utilizing a grant award from the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) through its Materials Management Infrastructure (MMI) Grant Program, the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) proposes to site an in-vessel composting unit at the Kent transfer station where food scraps are collected. The in-vessel unit will be solar powered. HRRA believes that municipalities can create a closed-loop sustainable composting system to manage food waste locally, reducing the carbon footprint of offsite disposal and contributing to the waste diversion goals of the state. On behalf of Kent, the HRRA is currently in discussions to expand collection with neighboring adjacent, non-HRRA member communities to bring their material for processing therefore expanding the municipalities being served beyond HRRA. In addition, food scraps collected from the satellite metroSTOR containers in the Northern HRRA region will be transported to the Kent transfer station, rather than trucking to more distant processing facilities. This infrastructure will improve, expand, and provide waste reduction for organics management services to this part of the region and beyond. In addition, this will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of food scraps collection and reduce the operating cost to the Town.
HRRA also proposes site upgrades at the Ridgefield HRRA Regional Transfer Station that will enable the facility to significantly increase waste collection capacity by expanding the volume and types of waste diverted from the MSW waste stream. These upgrades will make possible designated collection areas for construction and demolition and MSW bulky waste materials, establishing a new regional Reuse Exchange Shop for reusable bulky waste and construction and demolition waste, expansion of programs for food scraps, cooking oil, plastic film, existing Extended Producer Responsibility programs for cylinders and tires, and housing a plastic film baler and bales which support new regional plastic film collection points within HRRA region.
Project Maps: Kent Proposed Activity Location; Ridgefield Proposed Activity Location
Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on: Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Any person may ask the sponsoring agency to hold a public scoping meeting by sending such a request to the address below. If a public scoping meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a public scoping meeting. Such requests must be made by: Friday, May 30, 2025.
Additional information about the project can be viewed in person at 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT and online at: MMI Grant Program Page
Written comments and/or requests for a public scoping meeting should be sent to:
Name: Michael T. Looney
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
E-Mail: Micheal.Looney@ct.gov
Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:
Name: Michael T. Looney
Agency: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
E-Mail: Michael.Looney@ct.gov
What Happens Next: For the HRRA Kent project, DEEP will likely prepare an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE). For HRRA Ridgefield, DEEP will make a determination whether to proceed with preparation of an EIE or that the project does not require an EIE under CEPA. A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.