High Acres Landfill Information

Tax Rate Scenario

In 2008, the Town executed a Host Community Agreement with Waste Management for the operation of High Acres Landfill. In 2020, a scenario was graphed that illustrated the tax savings likely to have resulted from that agreement. The graph shows the actual tax rates beginning in 1999, the effect of signing the agreement in 2008, and then a forecast of the tax rates after 2008 if the agreement hadn't been signed. For forecasting purposes, a modest 2% increase per year was used.

In 2024, a question was asked that prompted us to update that graph for the ensuing years, and here it is:

Regarding Complaints or Concerns about Odors or other Operational Issues at High Acres

The hotline and verification system were developed in coordination with the NYSDEC, the town of Perinton, and the town of Macedon. All involved in the development of this system concluded that the dedicated NYSDEC Hotline provides an efficient, actionable, and verifiable way to address, investigate and respond to complaints. The Hotline alerts WM, the NYSDEC and both Towns of any neighborhood concern, and provides the opportunity to investigate and report on those concerns through a third party trained investigator.

The results of those investigations are then communicated via email to the NYSDEC and Towns immediately upon completion. NYSDEC continues to encourage the use of the hotline as the preferred method of reporting complaints and as the most reliable method for proper identification. NYSDEC's observations in the field included numerous instances where email reports of odor could not be corroborated, despite DEC staff presence at the reporting location within a short period of time.

Reports received via the FAFE Smartphone App are considered less reliable for numerous reasons. (a) Location is not always provided, (b) observed inconsistencies between the reported wind direction and the reported impact, (c) reports from various locations at the same time contradict each other. Furthermore, the duration of an impact also cannot be ascertained from the App settings.

The NYSDEC Hotline program is available 24/7 and provides a convenient, rapid, and actionable method of investigating and corroborating reported concerns.

Regarding odor reports, the investigators have been trained to use the 8-point n-butanol odor intensity scale (ASTM E544-10). Each odor-related hotline call is investigated according to this scale. Odors generally become objectionable when their intensity reaches 3 on the n-butanol scale.

N-Butanol Scale

• Very Faint (0.5-1.0) - an odor that would ordinarily not be noticed by the average person but could be detected by an experienced inspector or a hypersensitive individual.
• Faint (1.0-2.0) - an odor that the average person might not detect unless it were called to his attention.
• Distinct, Easily Noticeable (3.0) - an odor of moderate intensity that would be readily detected and might be regarded with disfavor. (A possible nuisance in inhabited areas.)
• Strong (4.0 +) - an odor that would force itself upon one's attention and that might make the air very unpleasant (a probable nuisance, if found in inhabited areas.)

To reach the NYSDEC Hotline, dial (585) 453-2416, 24x7.