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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12111990 - 2.7 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: HARVEY E. BRAGDON '� / 1 �, Contra oItra DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT S `✓Wsla o. DATE: December 11 1990 "�� Coum/ SUBJECT: STATUS OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Accept the report of the Director of Community Development on the status of solid waste disposal facilities in Contra Costa County. 2 . Direct the Community Development Department to request the sponsors of waste disposal and processing projects to provide copies of communications between them and regulatory agencies to the Department. FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS On December 3, 1990, at the conclusion'of a report by the Community Development Department on the status of curbside recycling in the County, the Board of Supervisors directed the Department to report on the status of solid waste disposal facilities at the Board's December 11, 1990, meeting. This report is submitted in response to that Board Order. EXISTING LANDFILL FACILITIES Acme Landfill The Acme landfill which until a few years ago received 1300-1500 ton per day from Central County, or over 60% of the County's solid wastes, is now nearly closed. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE A,, RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDA ON O ARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : ACTION OF BOARD ON December 11, 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT _ TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS/SON THE DATE SHOWN. Orig: Community Development Department ATTESTED CC: Distribution by Community Development Dept PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY , DEPUTY CAZ:vpl vl/caz.rpt The 125-acre north parcel is entirely closed. Because it is classified as a hazardous waste landfill, there is virtually no possibility that it could be re-opened. The 22-acre south parcel is filled. The 97-acre east parcel, which was started in 1984, is still open but it has only a small remaining capacity. It is being kept open to dispose of peak overflows from the Acme transfer, station and to receive bulky loads which cannot practicably be transferred. At its present rate of use, which is well under 100 tons-per- day, use of this parcel could continue until its Regional Water Quality Board permit expires in 1994. Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill (GBFIPittsburg Landfills) The Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill, adjoining Antioch, historically served East County. For most of the last decade, it has variously received wastes from Antioch (which typically has been served by the Acme landfill) , Concord and parts of Central County. Currently, it is receiving wastes from Concord as well as East County. For the 18 months period from January 1989 through July 1990, the facility received about 660 tons-per-day averaged out for a seven day week. The latest guarterly report shows a decline of about 100 tons-per-day. The Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill is permitted for fill heights of 220 and 230 feet of elevation above sea level by its Solid Waste Facilities permits. Its operator has applied for a revised permit to allow the landfill to be filled to an elevation of 275 feet which would enable it to operate for about another 23 months. The height extension application is now in its environmental review stage. The public comment period on the Draft EIR has closed. These comments from public agencies and parties responsible for paying for the remediation of the old hazardous waste landfill's contamination which request additional studies are being discussed with the Local Enforcement Agency (County Health Services Department) . otherwise, the EIR Consultant is preparing responses to the other comments and will have the report draft addressing them ready for staff review later this month. The decisions made on the additional studies, which mainly pertain to the old hazardous waste landfill beneath part of the current landfill will determine when the Final EIR is released. In the meantime, the Local Enforcement Agency has initiated enforcement (closure) proceedings against the landfill. West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill The West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill for the first nine months of 1990 has been receiving about 900 tons-per-day averaged for a seven-day week, predominately from West County collectors. During 1989, the comparable figure for the entire year was about 650 tons-per-day. Prior to this increase, intake amounts had been down because residential refuse going to the landfill from Berkeley and parts of Marin County had been terminated. The landfill is expected to have the capacity to receive wastes from its present service area for about 30 more months. LANDFILL PROJECTS Keller Canyon and Marsh Landfills Both the Keller Canyon and Marsh Canyon landfills, which had their Land Use Permits approved by the Board of Supervisors earlier this year, are in similar circumstances in the permitting process. Both have or are submitting application materials to the major regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over the landfills. Perhaps, submitting additional information would be a better description of their current activities. The major permitting agencies are: Regional Water Ouality Control Boards. Both applicants expect their requests for Waste Discharge Requirements to be considered by their respective regional boards (S.F. Bay for Keller; Central Valley for Marsh in January or February) . Bay Area Air ouality Management District. Both applicants are responding to additional data requests from the BAAQMD staff. Air Board consideration on the Authority to construct permits is not yet scheduled. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Both applicants had their requests for nationwide permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act questioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Both are discussing the matter with the Corps of Engineering to determine what additional information may be needed to obtain either a nationwide or site specific permits. The course of action may be determined in early 1991. The Corps' actions may also influence the California Department of Fish and Game's approval of Stream Bed Alteration Permits. California Integrated Waste Management Board. Both applicants will begin discussions with the Local Enforcement Agency (County health Services Department) and CIWMB staff after the issuance of Waste Discharge Requirements by the Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Typically, however, the CIWMB itself will not act on Solid Waste Facilities Permits until after all other permits and approvals have been given. The proceedings before the regulatory agencies, other than the California Integrated Waste Management Board, are expected by the project sponsors to last until late Spring, 1991. These are essentially outside of the County's influence, although their outcome will affect the process subsequently returned to local direction. Between the County's approval of the Land Use Permits and the sponsor's submittal to the regulatory agencies there was little need to monitor the projects. Now that the applications are before the regulatory agencies, however, County staff needs to monitor the activities and keep informed of the reports being submitted. Staff will ask the project sponsors to provide copies of communications between them and the regulatory agencies. Staff will also ask the regulatory agencies to provide notices to us at forthcoming meetings and hearings. Now that actions are pending before the regulatory agencies, staff is preparing detailed processing steps and check lists for implementing the projects' land use Permit Conditions of Approval. There is s substantial amount of work that can be done before the regulatory agencies have issued their permits, but the main efforts will 'come during the following 3-month period. Staff will then be completing review of the Development Improvement Plans and other documents pertaining to construction. Construction itself would follow, and could take 3-6 months. The timeline to a new landfill appears to be holding to the rule-of-thumb of approximately two years after local planning approvals. It could be shortened if a number of steps are accomplished in minimum time. Lawsuits could extend the time. TRANSFER AND WASTE PROCESSING FACILITIES Acme Fill Waste Recovery and Transfer Station The Board of Supervisors will be holding its first annual review of the Acme "transfer station" Land Use Permit on December 18th. There will be reports from the permittee and the Environmental Affairs Committee on the status of the facility provided to the Board prior to the meeting. In summary, the reports will note that the Interim Transfer Station component of the project has been in operation since December 18, 1989, that about one-half of the County's waste stream (or about 1250 tons-per-weekday) is being trans-shipped through the station. The permittee recently was granted a Solid Waste Facilities Permit for the Permanent Transfer Station by the California Integrated Waste Management Board and proposes to begin its construction in 1991 with operations beginning by mid-1992 . West County Integrated Resource Recovery Facility Richmond Sanitary Service's proposed materials recovery facility-transfer station is intended to handle West County's solid wastes when the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill closes in approximately thirty months. The project consists of the main processing plant and transfer station, located off Third Street in the North Richmond area and 'a combination composting, pavement crushing, and soil enrichment facility to be installed on the current landfill site. As is the case with the Acme Permanent Transfer Station, the West Contra Costa 11IRRF11 is designed meet its AB 939 obligation to reduce the landfilling of solid wastes by 25% by 1995. The "IRRF" has been an active project since its Comprehensive Project Description was accepted in August. It is now in its environmental review stage. The comment period for its CEQA Notice of Preparation closed on December 7th. Prospective EIR consultants are now preparing work program proposals. Staff expects to select a consultant and have the preparation of the EIR underway by early January. This scheduling should enable hearings on the projects entitlements to start next Spring. CAZ:vpl vl:caz.rpt