The Town of Hempstead Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) met on May 16.

There were several excursions during the months of April and May with the result that the plant experienced downtime and was unable to burn at capacity.

This coupled with unusually high inventory, deliveries, caused over capacity in the pit and it was necessary to send some tonnage to other American Ref-Fuel facilities in New Jersey and Delaware.

A planned outage to service boiler #3 was undertaken and a thorough overhaul was completed. Boiler #2 experienced some down time due to a grate failure. Ash had adhered to and clogged the grate. It was necessary to bring in explosives to solve the problem. In response to inquiries regarding nighttime noise emanating from the facility, we were informed that it is necessary to occasionally use explosives to clear the grates in order to resume operations. We had received some complaints regarding nighttime disturbance.

Trucks hauling waste from Queens to Hempstead have been encouraged to make nighttime deliveries in order to reduce heavy traffic on roadways surrounding the plant during daytime hours. We had previously been led to believe that the maximum daily tonnage to be delivered from District 13, Queens could not exceed 150 tons per day. However, that information was incorrect. The 150 tons per day is a contractual minimum. Additional city waste will be processed as pit space and ability to burn permits.

There is a priority status for the acceptance of solid waste. First priority goes to the Town of Hempstead, followed by Brookhaven, the Village of Westbury, the City of Long Beach, and lastly, New York.

Hempstead Town Sanitation Commissioner Dick Ronan, is planning to institute a "No Empty Truck" policy to reduce the large number of daily truck trips between Brookhaven and Hempstead. Rather than trucks bringing waste to Hempstead and returning to Brookhaven empty and ash delivered to Brookhaven and returning to Hempstead empty, the plan is for all trucks to be used round trip carrying either ash or solid waste each day.

April Deliveries:

"Special" Waste - 558 tons

AHMIS Waste - 646 tons

Norm Levy Outlook Park, this preserve is on the site of the former Merrick Landfill. It is a wonderful addition to the Hempstead Town Park system. It has been open weekends and will very soon be open seven days each week from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Trained park rangers will staff the preserve and act as tour guides, etc. There are walking and exercise paths. Birds, fish and plant life are now part of the restored preserve. A fishing pier and kayaking are, or will be in place. The view from the top will include an awe inspiring view of the New York City skyline and skyscrapers.

STOP Programs

(Stop throwing out pollutants)

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Levittown - Saturday, July 14

Market Lane parking garage

Uniondale - Sunday, Aug. 12

Greenfield Cemetery Milburn Avenue

The next SWAC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 27, 5 p.m. - 4th floor conference room - Hempstead Town Hall.

(The writer is chair of the Citizens Committee for Civic Action.)