Solution underway for Shiras Steam Plant demolition and its disposal

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – The Marquette Board of Light and Power and the Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority are working together tonight to come to a solution regarding the Shiras Steam Plant demolition and where to place its remains.

“Both boards are getting together today (Thursday) to discuss the different types of materials that are being proposed to be disposed and materials that can potentially be recycled or reused,” said Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority Director of Operations, Brad Austin.

Shiras Steam Plant is now in the demolition process where its waste material, a pile mostly composed of sand, needs to be recycled or disposed.

However, the Board of Light and Power says they’re experiencing problems coming to an appropriate rate with the Solid Waste Authority for the service being required.

“We’re really doing this for the benefit of the rate payers,” said Marquette Board of Light and Power Executive Director, Tom Carpenter. “There’s a significant amount of money that’s going to be spent on disposal, and the tear down of the Shiras Steam Plant so if we can save any dollars that we can pass back to our rate payers then that’s what we’re after.”

But the Solid Waste Authority says their concerns deal with time and space.

“There’s more handling in soil than there is in solid waste,” explained Austin. “But the way that this operation is set up is that waste trucks from the community come to the landfill, and they go to the tipping phase, and they dump that material off the end of a tipping pad and our steel wheel compacter basically comes through and cuffs that material off and compact it. When you start to dump soil materials off the end of that pad, that compacter isn’t a bulldozer, it doesn’t move materials.”

The Board of Light and Power does note they’re exploring options outside of this one in case a solution isn’t made.

In the meantime, a special committee consisting of both groups will meet Friday to continue discussing, and hopefully come to a decision to benefit both parties.