CRRA Sends $3.4m to Former Wallingford Project Towns

Cheshire, Hamden, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford Share Surplus Reserves

HARTFORD, Conn. – The five municipalities that once made up the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority Wallingford Project trash-to-energy system are to receive another $3.4 million in surplus funds.

Today the CRRA Board of Directors voted to distribute $3,424,458 to Meriden, Wallingford, North Haven, Cheshire and Hamden. The money had been held in Wallingford Project reserve accounts but, following the expiration of project contracts on June 30, 2010, was no longer needed. CRRA expects to complete wire transfers of the funds to the towns on Friday, March 25.

The money came from the Wallingford Project Operating Fund, containing funds accrued by the Wallingford Project for activities related to closing the Project’s operations.

The funds were deemed to be surplus by CRRA’s independent auditors, Bollam, Sheedy, Torani & Co. Under municipal service agreements between CRRA and the five cities and towns, funds certified as surplus after an audit may be distributed to the Project municipalities.

Each municipality received a distribution based on the amount of trash it had delivered to the Wallingford Project between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2010. Under that distribution formula,

• Cheshire received $459,219.81;
• Hamden received $789,680.02;
• Meriden received $758,859.89;
• North Haven received $491,752.17; and
• Wallingford received $924,946.11.

This distribution, added to $26.6 million distributed in April 2009 and $15.99 million in November 2010, means the five towns have received more than $46 million in surplus funds.

Any funds remaining in Wallingford Project reserves are encumbered for other purposes, such as post-closure monitoring and maintenance of the Wallingford landfill. Those activities must be completed before any more funds can be distributed.

The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority is a quasi-public agency whose mission is to work for – and in – the best interests of the municipalities of the state of Connecticut. CRRA develops and implements environmentally sound solutions and best practices for solid waste disposal and recycling management on behalf of municipalities. CRRA serves 96 Connecticut cities and towns. CRRA also runs award-winning sustainability education programs through the CRRA Trash Museum in Hartford and Garbage Museum in Stratford. Computer users can also discuss CRRA at its blog,

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