Landfill Fight Raises Basic Issue of Local Control

The town of Bethlehem and Casella Waste Systems have a case before the NH Supreme Court. Casella, a private landfill company which owns 87 acres of land in Bethlehem, argues that only state government can rule on how much property can be used for landfill. The town argues that zoning regulations changed in 1987 and the landfill cannot grow beyond 20 acres. The case is expected to take several months.