Dumping getting complicated

An agreement that lets the local community send trash to the local transfer station is in question because some of that trash comes from outside Grant County, where it ends up.

The problem has to do with how state money is allocated down to counties for solid waste disposal.

The Regional Board of Mayors first learned of the problem last month. Chairing the Oct. 4 meeting, Electric City Diane Kohout gave an update.

As Grant County Solid Waste department was preparing a plan, they noticed that Coulee Dam was in their written plan, but Elmer City was not, and is contending both those towns should be in Okanogan County’s plan, not Grant’s.

All of Elmer City is in Okanogan County. A corner of Coulee Dam is in Grant County.

Kohout said an official at the county was going to recommend a new interlocal agreement be written to include all of the area served now by the Delano Transfer Station, which is governed by the RBOM — the mayors of the four local towns.

The Delano Transfer Station’s designated landfill is in Ephrata.