The regional district gave thumbs up — save for one dissenting thumb — to an extension of the Cache Creek landfill permit at its regular meeting on Thursday.

Director John Sternig, who voted against the extension, said the landfill is a good operation but not one he would support. He said he opposes the importation of garbage from another region, which he sees simply as importing carbon and greenhouse gases.

Sternig said the landfill output is 218,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas annually, close to half the amount generated by the City of Kamloops — 480,000 tonnes.

Director John Ranta, mayor of Cache Creek, took issue with that.

Cache Creek is considered the best location for landfilling due to its low precipitation and high evaporation, which are safeguards against leachate contamination, he maintained. Incineration in the Lower Mainland — a plan pursued by Metro Vancouver — would also spew greenhouse gases.

“We don’t support that concept,” Ranta said. By this summer, the first of three reciprocating engines will begin producing electricity from collected landfill gas, he noted.

The extension also has the support of the nearby Village of Ashcroft, Ashcroft Indian Band and the Bonaparte Indian Band.

“We feel, sincerely, it’s the right thing to do,” Ranta said.

Belkorp, the company that operates the landfill, applauded approvals from the Ministry of Environment and TNRD.

The extension will set the operation apart from other landfills, said Russ Black, Belkorp’s vice-president of corporate development.

The operation will feature a double-composite liner of four layers and 75 per cent gas recovery. Site preparation begins this summer.