Not Just A Landfill

The land in and around Norfolk’s for­mer landfill is drawing interest for recre­ation and for solar panels. Town Meeting could conceivably field appropriation requests this spring for several uses of town-owned land in the area north of Medway Branch Road. And even if that doesn’t happen this spring, two town committees are expect­ed to continue pursuing separate plans for the land. The town’s Energy Committee told selectmen this week that the town should seriously consider installing solar panels on about an acre of the capped landfill,with an eye to saving electricity costs for town buildings.

The solar panels would cost about $500,000, but town officials hope a state grant might pay for about half the cost. Meanwhile, the town’s Community Preservation Committee is close to hir­ing a consultant to perform a feasibility study and develop a conceptual plan for converting the former landfill and wood­lands

around it into a recreational area. Possible uses proposed earlier this year included hiking, bicycling, an obstacle course, skating, sledding, and a dog park. There’s plenty of land in the area for multiple uses — more than 100 acres, say town officials — but the proposed site of the solar panels may overlap with the rec­reational plan. Selectmen, the town’s public works department, and members of the two committees making plans for the landfill area are in talks to try to work out a way for all the possible uses to go forward.

Rita Advani, chairman of the Energy Committee, told selectmen earlier this week that if there is a conflict the solar panels should win out. “We have not talked to the CPC. I’m aware that there is some talk about uti­lizing some of that land for open space. I would say that anything that sort of saves money for the town long-term, in my book would be a higher priority,” Advani said. “We’re talking about generating $20,000 worth of electricity a year, at least,” Selectman Rob Garrity said during the selectmen’s meeting.

In an interview, Garrity said the town may be able to get the equivalent of an interest-free loan. Federal money is avail­able through a state program known as Commonwealth Solar, he said. “The idea would be during the month of April to see if there’s a possibility of state funding through the Commonwealth Solar program,” Garrity said. The Community Preservation Committee got a $30,000 appropriation from Town Meet­ing last spring for a feasibility study and concep­tual plan for various recreational uses. Commit­tee members have said the proposal would open up the land to more town residents.

Garrity said the two committees are eyeing the same portion of the land for various uses, but that town officials are trying to come up with a way that all the proposed uses can go for­ward. “We’re making sure that we’re all on the same page about a use for the land and we’re hopeful that everything can be accommodated,” Garrity said in an interview late this week. “I’m glad we’re going to be getting some use out of an underperforming asset,” Garrity said. Selectman Jim Lehan, board chairman, said town officials need to figure out the break-even point of the solar panels before going forward with the project, to see if it makes sense for the town. If the town has to pay $250,000 and the town saves $20,000 in electricity costs a year, then the break-even point would be approximately 12 ½ years. But supporters said a detailed finan­cial analysis of the plan hasn’t yet been done.

“What we’re seeing is almost about 50 per­cent of the cost of the project is something that we can get back by way of rebates and incentives and so on. So it’s starting to look pretty attrac­tive.

And especially where we can reduce overall energy spent down the road. I think it’s a very smart thing for the town to look at down the road,” Advani said during the selectmen’s meet­ing Monday night. Since last year the Energy Committee has been studying electricity costs and trying to fig­ure

out ways the town can reduce how much it uses in municipal buildings and therefore how much it spends.

“The point that I want to come back to is that we spent over $500,000 in town on electricity. So anything that we can do to save it, if not right this minute but down the road, to me is certainly something that’s worth pursuing,” Advani said.