State grant will provide truck for county recycling

Whitman County Public Works Director Mark Storey told county commissioners Monday morning that the department is eligible for an additional $180,000 state Coordinated Prevention Grant through the Department of Ecology. These grants usually pay for recycling activities.

With the additional money, Storey said the department will purchase a new rolloff truck to exchange containers at recycle sites in small towns around the county.

He said the county will provide about $50,000 matching funds and will be required to use the grant by the end of June.

The funds will enable the county to place recycle boxes in small towns around the county. It will offer collection rates that will allow smaller towns to participate in recycling, according to David Nails, county solid waste and recycling director.

Storey reported Rosalia now has a recycling box, and Garfield, St. John and Oakesdale have shown interest in recycling.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the county’s new transfer station has been pushed back to April 14 at 2 p.m. The original ceremony was set for March 25.

Storey told county commissioners Monday the project will not be ready in time for the first date.

The new $4 million transfer station replaces the existing facility that was built in the early 1990s.

Nails told the commissioners paving at the site is expected to begin April 1.