The MIRA Dissolution Authority

The MIRA Dissolution Authority assumed control over all of MIRA’s assets, rights, duties and obligations effective July 1, 2023.  The MIRA Dissolution Authority will now undertake and complete any contract, right of action or matter previously undertaken or commenced by MIRA.  These assets, rights, duties and obligations can be summarized as follows:

• Approximately 80 acres of land and associated facilities, equipment and supplies formerly owned and operated by MIRA and comprising the now closed Resource Recovery Facility and Jet Turbine Facility located in the South Meadows section of Hartford CT;
• Three transfer stations formerly owned by MIRA in Torrington (currently operating), Watertown and Ellington (currently closed);
• A currently operating transfer station leased by MIRA (as lessee) in Essex CT;
• A fully equipped but closed recycling facility located at 211 Murphy Road, Hartford CT, and an adjacent warehouse facility located at 171 Murphy Road, both formerly owned by MIRA;
• Three closed landfills formerly owned by MIRA in Ellington, Shelton, and Waterbury including adjacent areas for plume control and associated facilities totaling approximately 259 acres;
• A one megawatt solar array owned by MIRA and installed on top of the closed Hartford landfill previously leased by MIRA (as Lessee);
• Land formerly owned by MIRA and leased by MIRA (as Lessor) for development and operation of the currently operating Bridgeport Resource Recovery Facility;
• Operating, maintenance and transportation contracts including municipal service agreements providing for the delivery, acceptance and processing of municipal solid waste and single stream recycling at the Torrington and Essex transfer stations on behalf of 23 municipalities that remain participants in the Connecticut Solid Waste System;
• Facility operation and maintenance, fire prevention and security support service agreements, including insurance coverages, as necessary and required for all facilities;
• Consulting, engineering, legal, brokerage and other support service agreements;
• Approximately $56.5 million in total funds, accounts and reserves established and accumulated in support of MIRA properties, systems, facilities and business activities.

MIRA was originally created under Public Act 14-94 in June 2014 as successor to the former Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA).  This was done in the same manner that the MIRA Dissolution Authority now succeeds MIRA.  In 2014, MIRA assumed control of CRRA’s assets, rights, duties, and obligations and continued its ongoing business.  MIRA was, and the MIRA Dissolution Authority now is, a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State engaged in specifically defined waste management service functions.

The underlying statutory powers of MIRA being assumed by the MIRA Dissolution Authority are to plan, design, construct, finance, manage, own, operate and maintain solid waste disposal, volume reduction, recycling, intermediate processing, resource recovery and related support facilities necessary to carry out the State’s Solid Waste Management Plan.  The MIRA Dissolution Authority may provide solid waste management services to municipalities and others in the State by receiving solid waste at its facilities, recovering resources from such solid waste, and generating revenues from such services sufficient for it to operate on a self-sustaining basis.  Previous statutory changes made when MIRA was formed prevent the MIRA Dissolution Authority from participating in state-wide recycling education, policy or acquiring real property by condemnation.  Once the MIRA dissolution process is complete, these underlying statutory powers, and the statutes establishing the MIRA Dissolution Authority, are repealed.

In addition to originally establishing MIRA, Public Act 14-94 established a consultative partnership between MIRA and the State’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) intended to bring about a redevelopment of the Connecticut Solid Waste System including the Resource Recovery Facility in Hartford.  However, following a multi-year sustained effort, the redevelopment did not proceed due to an absence of support from key stakeholders including the host community, participating municipalities and the state.  Major considerations precluding the redevelopment from moving forward included the nature of refurbishment work in relation to the level of investment required, increased tipping fees and community impacts.

In response to these circumstances, and considering the facility’s age, serviceability and reliability, MIRA undertook a managed shut down of the Hartford Resource Recovery Facility and transitioned to waste transfer operations provided on behalf of a reduced base of customers including 23 municipalities and 19 private waste haulers in the State.  The reduced base of municipal customers allowed MIRA to close its transfer station in Watertown and its recycling facility in Hartford.  The ongoing waste transfer services being assumed by the MIRA Dissolution Authority are provided through operation of the Torrington and Essex transfer stations.  The closed facilities will be secured and maintained pending policy decisions concerning their future use.

As part of its transition to waste transfer operations, MIRA also implemented a 50% reduction in its workforce from a staff of 30 funded in its fiscal year 2022 budget to a staff of 15 remaining upon completion of the initial transition and establishment of the MIRA Dissolution Authority.  The remaining professional staff is fully dedicated to the revised mission of the MIRA Dissolution Authority.