French's Landfill Redevelopment Contract Could Come Tonight

The township council could award a redevelopment contract at its meeting Tuesday night that will presumably lead to the installation of a solar farm at the former French's Landfill site.

Township officials began negotiations with Standard Alternative, LLC, a potential developer for the former Superfund site, last month.

The township plans to turn the site into a solar energy field after it is finished being capped, but the process of choosing a developer to install the solar field has been a bumpy one. Township officials that Pinelands Development would install a solar farm at the former landfill site and operate the facility for five years, but abruptly in July. In September, council members the sole bid placed in a second round of bidding.

The council is expected to enter a closed door meeting with a potential developer at Tuesday night's council meeting, then authorize the execution of a redeveloper's agreement for the site later in the meeting, according to an agenda posted on the township's website. Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis confirmed on Monday that the matter would be taken up at the council meeting.

Acropolis said the township is hoping that when all is said and done, the site should generate enough energy to cover the cost of all of the municipal government's electric bills, plus some left over that could be used to cover a portion of the BTMUA's bills.

Crews began working in August to place the final cap on the site, an action ordered by the federal government. It could take 12 to 14 months from start to finish to cap the 42 acre tract for good.