<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-15-349467.txt : 20151021
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-15-349467.hdr.sgml : 20151021
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20151021170159
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-15-349467
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	DEFA14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20151021
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20151021
EFFECTIVENESS DATE:		20151021

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000911177
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REFUSE SYSTEMS [4953]
		IRS NUMBER:				030338873
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0430

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		DEFA14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-23211
		FILM NUMBER:		151168615

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		25 GREENS HILL ROAD
		CITY:			RUTLAND
		STATE:			VT
		ZIP:			05701
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8027750325

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		25 GREENS HILL ROAD
		CITY:			RUTLAND
		STATE:			VT
		ZIP:			05701
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>DEFA14A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d35598ddefa14a.htm
<DESCRIPTION>DEFA14A
<TEXT>
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>DEFA14A</TITLE>
</HEAD>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:14pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:14pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Washington, DC 20549 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SCHEDULE 14A </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section&nbsp;14(a) of the </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Amendment No. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by the Registrant <FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#120;</FONT> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by a Party other than the Registrant <FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box: </P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Preliminary Proxy Statement </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Definitive Proxy Statement </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#120;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Definitive Additional Materials </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Soliciting Material Pursuant to &#167;240.14a-12 </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:22pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><I>Copies to: </I></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" ALIGN="center">


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<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="2%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="47%"></TD></TR>


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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Jeffrey A. Stein</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">60 State Street</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Boston,
Massachusetts 02109</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">(617) 526-6000</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Keith E. Gottfried, Esq.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Morgan, Lewis&nbsp;&amp; Bockius LLP</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Washington, DC 20004-2541</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">(202)
739-5947</P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#120;</FONT> No fee required. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT> Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(1)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(2)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(3)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(4)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(5)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Total fee paid: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(1)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Amount previously paid: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(2)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(3)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Filing Party: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(4)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Date Filed: </TD></TR></TABLE>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Casella Waste Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (&#147;<U>Casella</U>&#148; or the
&#147;<U>Company</U>&#148;), is filing materials contained in this Schedule 14A with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (&#147;<U>SEC</U>&#148;) in connection with the solicitation of proxies from its stockholders in connection with its
2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Friday, November&nbsp;6, 2015, and at any and all adjournments or postponements thereof (the &#147;<U>2015 Annual Meeting</U>&#148;). On September&nbsp;22, 2015, Casella filed with the SEC its
definitive proxy statement and accompanying definitive <B><U>WHITE</U></B> proxy card in connection with its solicitation of proxies to be used at the 2015 Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Letter to the Editor of the Rutland Herald Published on October&nbsp;21, 2015 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Attached hereto is a Letter to the Editor of the Rutland Herald published on October&nbsp;21, 2015 in which Casella&#146;s Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, John W. Casella, comments on the proxy contest by JCP Investment Partnership, LP (&#147;<U>JCP</U>&#148;) and the other participants in its solicitation with respect to the 2015 Annual Meeting. The Letter to the Editor of the Rutland Herald
is being filed herewith because it may be deemed to be solicitation material in connection with Casella&#146;s solicitation of proxies to be used at the 2015 Annual Meeting. As previously announced, JCP Investment Partnership, LP and the other
participants in its solicitation are pursuing a proxy contest to elect two nominees to the Casella Board of Directors at the 2015 Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Important Information And Where To Find It </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Casella, its
directors and certain of its executive officers are deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Casella&#146;s stockholders in connection with the matters to be considered at Casella&#146;s 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. On
September&nbsp;22, 2015, Casella filed a definitive proxy statement and accompanying definitive <B><U>WHITE</U></B> proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission (&#147;<U>SEC</U>&#148;) in connection with the solicitation of proxies from
Casella stockholders in connection with the matters to be considered at Casella&#146;s 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Information regarding the identity of participants, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or
otherwise, is set forth in such definitive proxy statement, including the schedules and appendices thereto. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT, THE ACCOMPANYING <B><U>WHITE</U></B> PROXY CARD AND OTHER
DOCUMENTS FILED BY CASELLA WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain the definitive proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the definitive
proxy statement, the accompanying definitive <B><U>WHITE</U></B> proxy card, and any other documents filed by Casella with the SEC for no charge at the SEC&#146;s website at www.sec.gov. Copies are also available at no charge at the Investor
Relations section of Casella&#146;s corporate website at www.casella.com, by writing to Casella&#146;s Corporate Secretary at Casella Waste Systems, Inc., 25 Greens Hill Lane, Rutland, VT 05701, or by calling Casella&#146;s Corporate Secretary at
(802)&nbsp;772-2257. </P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE RUTLAND HERALD </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 21, 2015 </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Casella
is on the right track </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">By John Casella </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Commentary&nbsp;|
October&nbsp;21, 2015 </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As detailed in an Oct. 8 article that ran in the Herald, &#147;Texas firm makes a move on Casella Waste,&#148; Casella Waste
Systems Inc. is currently engaged in a proxy contest with JCP Investment Management, a Texas-based activist hedge fund that started accumulating shares of Casella in May 2014 and currently owns approximately 5.7 percent of our shares. JCP, which has
no experience whatsoever in the waste management industry and no nexus to the people and communities of Vermont, is trying to get two of its handpicked candidates elected to the Casella Waste board of directors at our 2015 annual meeting of
stockholders this November. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">I have respected the Herald for many years. However, I am extremely disappointed that I was not approached sooner or given
the appropriate time to correct some of the facts before the article was published for all to read. In order to ensure that our customers, stockholders, neighbors and the communities in which we serve are provided with a more accurate portrayal of
the facts than what was conveyed by the article, I call your attention to the following: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#151;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Casella Waste filed its definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Sept. 22. A chronology of our discussions with JCP can be found in the section titled, &#147;Background of the Contested
Solicitation.&#148; </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#151;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">The article misrepresents JCP&#146;s proxy contest as an attempt to &#147;take over the company.&#148; This leads many people to mistakenly believe this is a takeover battle and that there is the potential for JCP to
gain control of the company. That is not the case. This is a proxy election contest for two out of nine seats on our board of directors. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#151;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">We have a strong and highly qualified board committed to serving the best interests of our stockholders, which includes numerous residents of the Vermont communities we serve. The Casella board is composed of nine
highly qualified and experienced directors, seven of whom are independent, and boasts a broad and diverse set of skills and experiences. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#151;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Our board has unanimously recommended that our stockholders vote to elect our highly qualified and experienced board nominees, which includes two of the most highly respected veterans of the waste management industry,
James E. O&#146;Connor and William P. Hulligan. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#151;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">JCP&#146;s founder, James C. Pappas, is one of JCP&#146;s proposed board candidates. Mr.&nbsp;Pappas is an activist investor with no waste management
industry experience and his public company board experience has mostly been limited to food-related companies and an exploration stage Canadian mining company that had its stock traded in the Over the
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
Counter (OTC) market and that ceased operations in 2013 during Mr.&nbsp;Pappas&#146; board tenure after failing to identify a suitable strategic option. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In an attempt to distract our stockholders so they don&#146;t notice that JCP&#146;s proposed director candidates lack any relevant experience helpful to the
Casella board&#146;s efforts to drive stockholder value, Mr.&nbsp;Pappas has also made numerous unfounded accusations regarding Casella Waste. He questions the business relationship between Casella Waste and Casella Construction, a relationship that
we have been very transparent about in our SEC filings. I want to set the record straight: All of Casella Waste&#146;s major contracts are put to bid, and the business is awarded to the party with the lowest qualified offer. As a result of Casella
Construction being awarded some of our jobs following its submission of the lowest bid and a stringent review process, Casella Waste Systems has saved approximately $14 million. In our definitive proxy statement, we carefully describe the stringent
review process we follow for related party transactions and how our independent bidding process ensures that Casella gets the best value while maintaining a diverse vendor base. In short, we always conduct a fair and diligent process at arm&#146;s
length when outsourcing work related to our equipment or property &#151; no exceptions. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This has been an exciting year for Casella Waste, and we are very
proud of the significant progress and momentum we have achieved in executing on our strategy, improving our financial and operating performance and positioning Casella for long-term growth and profitability. As a result of the transformative actions
we undertook beginning two and a half years ago, the company as a whole is doing well, and Wall Street has taken notice. We believe strongly that we are pursuing the right strategic path &#151; a testament to our entire team&#146;s work ethic. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Furthermore, along with our employees, for whom I am eternally grateful, I know there are many stockholders and community members who support us, and I
sincerely thank them. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We are confident our company will move past this unfortunate distraction and are looking forward to maintaining our energy and
attention on what truly matters &#151; serving our customers and communities and the people who make Casella Waste the company I am so proud to be a part of. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">John W. Casella is chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems Inc. </P>
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