Unalaska, AK – The City Council and the Department of Public Utilities are discussing increasing rates for landfill use. Director of Public Utilities Dan Winters says the landfill requires about $1 million dollars in subsidies per year from the general fund to operate. "So what we're looking at is options for the user of the landfill, or the cause of the refuse, people to pay for the landfill costs," he said.

A new solid waste rate study by Bristol Environmental suggests increasing rates by 48% for all users. That means the maintenance fee that's included in electric bills could go from $12.50 per month to $18.50.

Winters says the 48% rate increase is just an option. "The 48% has not been set. We may do it where we do 22% per year increase for three years."

During last night's council meeting, councilmember Roger Rowland expressed fears that if rates go up too much, industry members might just dump their waste into the ocean. Joel Grunwaldt, who completed the study, said he thought that would be unlikely.

Other suggestions for funding the landfill included increasing vehicle registration fees to help raise money to dispose of junk cars. Currently it costs the city about $380 to ship out one junk car.

Winters says he hopes changes in landfill fees will be discussed at the next city council meeting on June 24th.