Residents raise stink over landfill's noise
KING COUNTY, Wash. -- Residents of the county's Maple Hills neighborhood are raising a stink about a local landfill, but it's not the smell they're complaining about.
Rather, it's the noise from the landfill that the residents can't tolerate.
Sharon Schimke moved to Maple Hills 43 years ago for peace and quiet. But these days, she says she can't get a good night's sleep.
"Well, it sounds like when you're cooking something in a pressure cooker. The pressure reaches its peak, and this whistle goes off," she said.
Schimke is convinced that pressure cooker is at the Cedar Hills Landfill, which sits about a half mile away from her house.
Plant manager Paul Kerschner says he's heard the complaints, but there's little he can do. The whistle, he says, is a part of a new project that converts landfill methane into clean-burning natural gas.
Bio Energy Washington started testing operations a few months ago, and the tanks and lines started making unexpected noises. But King County says the project's noise is still within allowed limits.
Kerschner, who took some readings in the neighborhood, believes the residents aren't hearing louder noises, but rather just new ones.
Still, he promised me the company will take reduce the racket by the end of the year.
"We've seen that we are not over the levels, but in being a good neighbor, we're looking into putting something into place that will mitigate those sounds that are the annoying sounds," he said.
Schimke says she's all for the clean energy project. And now that she has a deadline to dampen the noise, she's looking forward to a good night's sleep.
"If the noise would stop being an irritant to me, I don't care what they do," she said.
Bio Energy Washington says it's working with sound engineers to reduce the noises from the project. It could install sound walls or louvered ceilings to keep the noise to a minimum.
Rather, it's the noise from the landfill that the residents can't tolerate.
Sharon Schimke moved to Maple Hills 43 years ago for peace and quiet. But these days, she says she can't get a good night's sleep.
"Well, it sounds like when you're cooking something in a pressure cooker. The pressure reaches its peak, and this whistle goes off," she said.
Schimke is convinced that pressure cooker is at the Cedar Hills Landfill, which sits about a half mile away from her house.
Plant manager Paul Kerschner says he's heard the complaints, but there's little he can do. The whistle, he says, is a part of a new project that converts landfill methane into clean-burning natural gas.
Bio Energy Washington started testing operations a few months ago, and the tanks and lines started making unexpected noises. But King County says the project's noise is still within allowed limits.
Kerschner, who took some readings in the neighborhood, believes the residents aren't hearing louder noises, but rather just new ones.
Still, he promised me the company will take reduce the racket by the end of the year.
"We've seen that we are not over the levels, but in being a good neighbor, we're looking into putting something into place that will mitigate those sounds that are the annoying sounds," he said.
Schimke says she's all for the clean energy project. And now that she has a deadline to dampen the noise, she's looking forward to a good night's sleep.
"If the noise would stop being an irritant to me, I don't care what they do," she said.
Bio Energy Washington says it's working with sound engineers to reduce the noises from the project. It could install sound walls or louvered ceilings to keep the noise to a minimum.