The Centre Region Council of Governments (COG) voted last night to send a letter to the governor's office regarding the site of a possible landfill in Centre County.

College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships, as well as the borough of State College, all voted in favor of sending a letter to Gov. Ed Rendell outlining concerns about using state funds to build a landfill in Centre County.

The landfill, if developed, will reside just north of I-80 in Snow Shoe and Rush townships.

Centre County residents and representatives from the College Democrats and Eco-Action were also present at the meeting.

"Even if it [the landfill] passes all the rules of environmental and health agencies, there's no guarantee that it's safe," said Harry Pionke, a former environmental chemist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in State College.

"Cleaners, paints, pesticides, trace metals like mercury and lead ... all these household wastes may be in small percentages," Pionke said. He added that no one knew the impact of exposure to low concentrations over longer periods of time.

Jennifer Line, an Eco-Action representative, said she just wanted to learn more about the situation.

"We haven't really started planning anything yet," she said. Line added that the issue would be brought up at tonight's Eco-Action meeting.

Jim Steff, COG executive director, said COG had received a recommendation to "contact Rendell and express opposition of the state providing funds." He said that the letter would convey to Rendell that the townships would not support state funds, about $8 million, to finance the building of the landfill.

Steff said the elected officials representing the six townships were concerned about increased truck traffic on I-80, I-99 and Route 322, more air pollution and the fact that the landfill was "not consistent with the governor's plans for economic development."

Traffic also concerned College Democrats President Megan Green.

"I think it's a big issue that needs to be faced," she said. "We already have major traffic problems."

Ed Walsh, an associate professor emeritus of sociology, said that one of the main problems is that Pennsylvania is consistently being used as a dumping ground for neighboring states.

"The problem is that all of this trash is coming from out of state," he said. "If it's from New York, dump it in New York."

State College Borough Council member Cathy Dauler said it was important to "protect ourselves from irresponsible behaviors in New Jersey and New York. We need to speak up."

State College Borough Council member Elizabeth Goreham said that the COG had a responsibility to represent those who do not have a voice.

"Landfills tend to go in areas that have a low political weight," she said. "It's important to speak out on behalf of Snow Shoe."

Green said after the meeting that the landfill could attract further attention from the College Democrats.

"We'll have to see where it goes," she said. "We may figure that it might be worth it to get different Penn State organizations to send their own letters. There seems to be power in numbers."