JOHNSTOWN - Fees for public use of the Fulton County landfill are proposed to increase next year by $2 per ton in six major categories, including for the key municipal direct-haul and commercial rates.

The Board of Supervisors' Environmental Resources Committee last week set 2010 landfill tipping fees, although the full board must give final approval Nov. 9.

Tipping fees are annual charges assessed to municipalities, county residents, municipal haulers and approved outside users of the landfill on Mud Road in the town of Johnstown.

The six categories set to increase $2 per ton, and their proposed 2010 rates are as follows: construction-demolition, $52 per ton; commercial, $52; county transfer haul, $51; industrial waste, $52; municipal direct haul, $31; and sludge, $40.

Rates in other categories at the landfill and recycling center are scheduled to stay the same, including: asbestos, $150 per ton; contaminated soil, $25; municipal county demolition, $20; sewage treatment plant sludge, $30; uncovered load, $150; cleanup program, $45; transfer station recycling, $12.50; curbside recycling, $25; and commercial recycling, $10.

County Department of Solid Waste Director Jeff Bouchard said today he thinks entities using the landfill, including municipalities in the county, should be able to absorb the $2-per-ton increase. He said the Solid Waste Department is continuing to shore up landfill reserve accounts for the future. Less garbage is expected to be dumped in the landfill in 2010.

"The tonnages for the 2009 year were lower as well," Bouchard said.

"I'm not totally in favor of it," Johnstown Town Supervisor Roy Palmateer said today of the increases. "But I think they have to do it. They have a lot of expenses up there."

Bouchard said post-closure, capping and remediation operations - and accounting for depreciation - will require $76.5 million in the next 65 years.

In 2006, the Department of Solid Waste completed a financial assurance update showing increases should be tied to quantities of incoming tonnage to support programs and mandated reserves.

Gloversville 4th Ward Supervisor Anthony C. Buanno, chairman of the Environmental Resources Committee, said today less garbage translates to a need to increase rates for next year.

"We've got to do it," Buanno said. "We're short on tonnage up there."

Bouchard has said much less garbage is expected in 2010, partly because of the poor economy's effect on consumption and disposal of materials.

He said the county may take in 20,000 fewer tons of waste next year and revenue projections are down by almost $1 million.

"That's a big shortage," Buanno said. "The end result is we may be thinking about taking in a small amount of [additional] outside waste."

But Buanno said the county doesn't have any new outside waste contracts to approve at this time.

Bouchard said the county actually had been considering $5-per-ton rate hikes for 2010, but it was able to knock that down by cutting some proposed capital expenses.

Last December, the supervisors increased tipping fees in nine of the major categories for this year. Those were the first tipping fee hikes of their kind since the mid-1990s.