Rutland Daily Herald from Rutland, Vermont • 7

I RUTLAND DAILY HERALD, WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 10, 1090 7 Incinerator Faces $12,000 In EPA Fines i SES Garemont Admits Violations By SANDRA LOWE Southern Vermont Bureau CLAREMONT, N.H. SES Claremont the Wheelabrator Technologies Claremont incinerator, could face $12,000 in fines for submitting late reports to the Environmental Protection Agency concerning its discharge water, and not submitting some reports at all. The reports, monitoring test results of the plants stormwater and underdrainage system, are required by the plant's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems permit. They have been consistently late on their reports and some reports they havent filed at all, said Mark Stein, the EPA attorney on the case. If they dont give us the reports we dont know whats going on.

The tests are aimed at ensuring that that any stormwater drainage does not carry pollutants to the groundwater or the Ox Brook, where the stormwater discharges. The pollutants could ossibly be left by either trash aulers or ash trucks that continually drive in and out of the plant. Kevin Stickney, director of public affairs for Wheelabrator, acknowledged there was a problem. He said that the company had already taken Bteps to correct it. The company has found some reports missing and is trying to check the status of other reports.

He also said that the company is making an effort to improve the communication and reporting process in all the Wheelabrator plants. The company operates several plants in New England and some outside New England. Stickney said that tests that have been submitted indicate that the discharge water met the requirements of the permit. Stein said that the problems with the Wheelabrators reporting began in March 1988. The reports hove since been consistently behind or nonexistent.

The plant obtained its discharge permit in 1987. Stein said that three biannual reports, depicting a chemical analysis of the stormwater, were never submitted. One biannual test for toxicity was also not reported. Several monthly reports are also missing. The administrative complaint from EPA was filed in late December.

But prior to filing it, Stein said that EPA gave SES Claremont more than a month to provide copies of the missing reports. Alan W. Haley, the SES plant manager, responded to EPA by saying that the plant did not submit some tests because it did not believe it was necessary. The permit the plant originally requested would have had the incinerator discharging process water used in its operation. However, the plant was designed with a closed-loop system, meaning that it' reuses the water used in operation, and discharges no process water.

In a letter to EPA on Dec. 12, Haley told EPA that plant operators believed that since the final permit was only for stormwater, certain tests were not required, even though requirements for the tests were stated in the stormwater discharge permit. Stickney acknowledged that there were some misunderstandings between plant operators and EPA. He said that when certain tests results were not asked for, it reenforced plant operators understanding that the tests, even though written as required, were actually not required. An informal meeting is scheduled between EPA and Wheelabrator officials for Jan.

26. Stein said that EPA does try to settle cases out of court, rather than spend additional money to pursue a violation. Stickney said that the company would not protest the violation, but he hoped the final assessment (in EPA fines) will reflect some of the misunderstanding (EPA) needs to share with us. JMsc jockey Kayla Christie plays the tunes at WBFLpFM In Westminster Tuesday. At the beginning of the year, the station hanged its format to classic rock and roll.

The switch ended six years of country music at WBFL. oodbye Waylon, Hello Mick jTBFL Switches Classic Rock tion with his wife Evelyn, the station was losing listeners. As of July, WBFL was down to 12,000 listeners a week, 18,000 -iMtiv less than the stations goal. The situation was not likely to improve. WTSA in Brattle-boro, Windham Countys top-rated station, plays Country music on its AM station.

Weeks and Scott were also concerned about competition from a country music station in Newport, Nil. If we were the only country station, it wouldnt make sense to make a change, Scott said. Losing listeners meant los ing money. Weeks said the station never ran a deficit, but he could see the handwriting on the wall. It wasnt a good year, Weeks said.

1989 was a tough year for every business, especially in New England. We werent losing money. It was a situation where we tried to assess, would we have lost money if we kept up what we were doing? Weeks said the answer to that question was yes. A format change was in order and classic rock and roll was picked because of lack of competition. There is no classic rocker between us and Boston," Scott said.

That statement is open to question. David Underhill, owner of WKVT-AM and FM in Brattleboro said there is some crossover between the music at (See Page 8: WBFL) 0 ByBOBHUGEL Southern Vermont Bureau yf WESTMINSTER Eric speott, program director for jdio station WBFL-FM, sat in pC small office cluttered with boxes, papers and folders. eaning back in his chair, he ''minted to his outfit, which (ensisted of jeans and a casual 'shirt. As you can see were very in-r formal around here, Scott Informal and quite different. June in to WBFL and you will hearTock and roll from the seventies and eighties, a format never heard before on jyPBFL.

It has been that way Seyer since the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, 1990. Gone are the country and Western' tunes that WBFL jplayed from 1983 through flt89. Say goodbye to Waylon pannings and Randy Travis. $ay hello to Boston, Eagles, ransaa, the Rolling Stones and of others on the new B-207.

Rock has more energy, people will listen to rock rather 2han country, said Scott, 24, $iio came to the station in foiid-December from Lawrence, ass. This is whats happen 'According to Scott and Brad Weeks, who co-owns the sta- Bellows Falls Residents Face Big Tax Hike Staff Photo by Bob Hugel Eric Scott, the new program director at WBFL-FM, stands outside the station Tuesday. Scott was hired after the station decided to end six years of playing country music. The new format, classic rock and roll, made its debut at the beginning of the year. yrr- Trail of Agnew Murder Case Grows Cold if By AMONN SULLIVAN Southern Vermont Bureau pShree years and numerous dead-end leads lvfsr, officials investigating the murder of 3lkyear-old Barbara Agnew of Norwich said it be getting increasingly difficult to solve 1 nurses murder and at least four others linked to a possible serial killer.

pThere are no new, earth-shattering leads, Windsor County States Attorney Shelley A. Hill said -Tuesday. Hill said the investigation opAgnews murder, which has now been con-srildated with the investigation of the murder oFCat least five other women in the area tpnjugh the Attorney Generals office, is becoming harder with time. KAgnew was stabbed to death Jan. 10, 1987, after apparently stopping her green BMW at a northbound rest area on Interstate 91.

Her car vmS found abandoned a few days after she was rented missing by her ex-husband. Three nfpnths later, hikers found her body, still clad ski clothes she wore when last seen, under an apple tree off an isolated road in Hartland. Dr. Kenneth Olsen of Hanover, N.H., Ag-news ex-husband, said he plans no special remembrance Wednesday. Olsen said Agnews son, now 10, has taken his mothers death relatively well, but to him the death still seems unresolved after three years because her murder is still unsolved.

Det. Jeff Cable of the Vermont State Police, said he and Detective Sgt. Ted LeClair still spend a considerable amount of their time investigating the case. Its still being investigated almost on a full-time basis, he said. But are three-year-old crimes solved? Good question, Cable said.

I couldnt answer that. Persistence is a good quality in law enforcement work. We try to take a fresh look at the facts. The very brutality of the crime also motivates investigators to keep working on the case, Cable said. Solving the Agnew murder (See Page 8: Agnew) $495,000, Guerino said.

According to Thomas H. MacPhee, village president, after subtracting operating revenue of $154,632 and New England Power Company tax payments of $420,527, the result would be 94.4 cent taxes, representing a 30 percent increase from last year. However, this was before further cuts. Guerino proposed four solutions. The first was getting $20,000 in revenue from the sale of a fire truck, but it is already included in the budget.

Second was using half of the CIFCO Funds held in escrow for a court case, which would amount to $20,000. The third was adjusting police department staffing in the wake of the resignation of Police Chief Francis X. Aumand. Last was cutting staff, an idea no one liked. Although Guerino said that the village attorney said money from the CIFCO funds could be used.

Trustees James Tolaro and Catherine Bergmann advised against it. Bergmann, saying the budget was already bare-boned, called for creative thinking for ways of raising revenue. She then suggested the village sell fire and police services beyond its area. Bergmann said that since not much more could be cut, the rest be left to village voters. After more discussion, trustees removed cost of living raises for three department heads and the municipal manager.

They also removed the police cruiser but added funds for additional maintenance for current vehicles. By press time, the administrative budget stood at $114,733. Reduced had been managers expenses, professional development, and fees for the trustees and the village president. The cuts were generally in the range of several hundred dollars. Trustees Work To Shave Budget BvPHEBEMACE Southern Vermont Bureau BELLOWS FALLS Residents of Bellows Falls face a 26 percent increase in taxes.

On Tuesday night, Bellows Falls village trustees pared the proposed 1990 budget, originally submitted at $1,093,791, down to at least $1,030,475, lessening the tax impact from a projected 30 percent increase down to 26 percent. This would raise the tax rate to $.92, a 26 percent increase. The tax crisis is a combination of factors including a $36,000 bookkeeping mistake. A motion at the annual village meeting last year transferred $60,000 of a $96,000 surplus from the 1989 budget, without adjusting the budget accordingly, said Municipal Manager Thomas M. Guerino.

However, for the 1990 budget, there is no surplus or windfall to cushion the figures, which means the tax rate will soar, unless someone thinks of a another way to raise revenue, village trustees said. For the 1989 budget, the village applied $60,000 of the surplus to balance the budget, he said. This left a surplus balance of $36,000. Voters at the village meeting reduced the tax rate by that amount, from $.81 to $.73. Guerino said that during the 1980s, the village had been getting by with surpluses from revenue sharing every year.

This has finally ended, he said. Guerino told trustees that in the last five days he reduced the proposed budget to $1,044,793. Tuesday, trustees further shaved it to $1,042,475. In the past year, the grand list also fell from $500,000 to -vy: I Barbara Agnew of Norwich was murdered three years ago and Vermont State Police still devote a lot of time to the case. iudget Revision Continues in Springfield met to discuss a proposed salary adjustment and health insurance benefits in executive session, presumably to reduce the amount that had been originally proposed.

Selectmen made cuts in various line items in public session, but did not reach fixed charges. Therefore the reduction recommended to the two line items was not revealed. Although some of Steeles recommendations differed from the budget advisory groups, selectmen took some of eadji and rejected others, making further cuts of their own. For example, selectmen cut the equipment By SANDRA LOWE Southern Vermont Bureau INGFIELD Town Manager William ile proposed Tuesday a new 1990-91 budcalling for an increase of slightly more 1 8 percent, the limit sought by the Com-eeofl8. eele presented a proposed $4.45 million et.

But after meeting with selectmen in itive session for 45 minutes, Steele told ommittee at the budget hearing that the hefirfigure would be $4,389,607. new figure was derived after selectmen fund to replace a fire truck from the $28,000 first proposed last November to $10,000. Although the Committee of 18 had recommended cutting the amount to $14,000, and Steele had recommended cutting the contribution to $20,000, selectmen voted 3-2 to cut it to $10,000. Selectmen Michael Knoras, board chairman, and Selectman Jean Willard opposed the move. What youre doing is delaying the funding of these items to a time when well need to add (See Page 8: Budget) 1.