The Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG) voted to pursue a Sustainable Materials Management grant from the state to assist in building out a newly-formed regional waste authority. The NHCOG had been formulating the concept of a regional solid waste management authority for more than a year with the oversight of the Torrington Transfer Station as its primary purpose.
The Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority Dissolution Authority, or MIRA-DA, which is managing the transfer of the station out of MIRA ownership as it winds down operations, had entered a non-binding agreement in February to allow NHCOG to take over control of the facility at the end of June.
On May 14, however, MIRA-DA accepted a $3.25 million offer from private firm USA Waste & Recycling to buy the transfer station, despite ample testimony from regional leaders on why sticking with the public option would be desirable to municipalities and residents.