BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 17, 2023
Despite nearly $100 million – some of it taxpayer money – having been spent and the brief operation of the revolutionary trash and recycling facility in Hampden, serious questions about its viability remain unanswered. From day one, many experts warned that what was being proposed was too good to be true. Now, the Municipal Review Committee says it needs $20 million to ensure the whole thing isn’t sold and likely mothballed. It is asking the state to provide the loan guarantees needed to help the group secure this funding. The red flags that have scared away private investors should also concern state lawmakers as they consider MRC’s request. The MRC should undertake an independent assessment of the facility and the technology its uses so better informed decisions about its future can be made.