COROWA mayor Fred Longmire has provided a potential circuit-breaker to the compost facility impasse by suggesting his council should look at offering up an alternative site.
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The introduction of an organic waste service in four council areas — Albury, Wodonga, Corowa and Indigo — remains on hold after Transpacific Cleanaway lost a court appeal to build an $8.5 million compost facility on farmland at Gerogery.
Cr Longmire said he was prepared to start the discussion on finding another site to get the multi- million-dollar contract started.
“It is a regional issue and we are part of that region,” he said.
“I am not speaking on behalf of council, but if something came up at council where we could talk about it, I am sure we would have a look at it.
“They might say no and I might be on the wrong tram.
“But it is something we have never discussed.”
Cr Longmire said it was premature to be talking about potential sites within Corowa Shire.
Alternate sites were explored at Bowna, Bungowannah and two at Ettamogah before Cleanaway chose the Gerogery site near Five Mates Bridge.
“Why wouldn’t we have a look at it if all the guidelines lined up?” Cr Longmire said.
“We should be looking at everything, but I stress again that is only my personal opinion.
“Waste management is an enormous concern and is so costly.”
A Cleanaway spokesman said the company was still assessing its options about its next step.
It could challenge the NSW Land and Environment Court’s ruling on a “point of law” or submit another development application for the Gerogery site with Greater Hume Council.
The latter course of action is expected to be met with immediate refusal and the matter likely to end up in court again.
The timeframe would be about 18 months without any guarantee of success.
