Trash transfer sites approved

Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999 | 10:34 a.m.

The Clark County Health District board today approved two waste transfer stations for Republic Silver State Disposal Co.

The board approved the controversial sites as part of the consent agenda, meaning that a host of nonrelated issues were passed by a single vote and without discussion.

There were no protests. Opponents were resigned to the fact that the not-in-my-backyard issue was to be approved today and that transfer stations will be constructed at an isolated site in the small community of Sloan south of Las Vegas and at Cape Horn Drive in an industrial section of Henderson.

A board member would have had to ask for the item to be pulled from the consent agenda to open it up for debate.

Transfer stations are enclosed buildings where trash is dumped temporarily and watered down to prevent unpleasant odors. Debris dumped at transfer stations later is moved to landfills and recycling facilities.

Republic Silver State officials have said that without new transfer stations, trash-hauling costs could go up for residents and businesses.

Many protesters over the last two years have not disputed that. What they disputed was the structures being erected in their neighborhoods.

A proposed site near Flamingo Road and Buffalo Drive and another near Blue Diamond Road were met by heavy protests from residents, forcing the garbage collection company to pull those proposals and seek other sites.

Republic Silver State will still need grading and dust control permits from the health district's Air Pollution Control Division. After today's vote, County Air Pollution Control Director Mike Naylor said the company's paperwork was in order and those permits will be issued.