Honig Votes to Preserve Public Ownership of Torrington Transfer Station

HARTFORD — Senator Paul Honig (D-Harwinton) voted Tuesday in favor of Senate Bill 521, legislation that would convey the Torrington Transfer Station to the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority (NRRA), preserving the facility as a publicly owned option for municipal solid waste and recycling across northwest Connecticut.

“Towns across our region have been pooling resources and running shared services for years because it saves money and it works,” Senator Honig said. “The NRRA brings that same approach to solid waste. Without a publicly owned facility, private operators set the price and municipalities have no real choice but to pay it. This bill keeps that from happening, and I’m glad the Senate passed it.”

The Torrington Transfer Station has served the region for nearly four decades, originally conveyed to the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) following the state’s eminent domain action in 1987. Following MIRA’s dissolution, the property transferred to the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, which has been operating the facility on a temporary basis. SB 521 would convey the property to the NRRA, a municipal solid waste authority established to provide sustainable, regional management of waste and recycling services for participating municipalities.

Under the bill, the property must be used to operate a public transfer station, and the NRRA must retain ownership without leasing or the property reverts to the state. The conveyance is subject to State Properties Review Board approval.

The bill drew broad regional support, including from the Northwest Hills Council of Governments and the Connecticut Council of Small Towns. The NRRA has also secured a $350,000 grant from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for organizational and operational development.

The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | hugh.mcquaid@cga.ct.gov |