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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10042005 - C17 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Com• �/ :•--�, -"- Contra FROM: Supervisor John Gioia, District I � ,� •' Costa -0 DATE: October 4, 2005 > ---�„=' COUIIty SUBJECT: LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD REGARDING REQUEST TO EXTEND DISPOSAL OPERATIONS AT THE WEST CONTRA COSTA SANITARY LANDFILL-- SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS AUTHORIZE the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to submit a letter to the Regional Water Quality Control Board to express support for Republic Services' request for an extension of the existing deadline for disposal operations at the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill to facilitate the orderly closure of the facility and to allow the community to receive the economic benefit of fully utilizing existing permitted airspace. FISCAL IMPACT No impact to the County General Fund. Republic Services will begin paying the Host Community Mitigation Fees on all solid waste and processible materials(whether disposed of in the WCCSL or another facility) effective February 1, 2006. Extending the disposal operations at the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill will delay collection rate increases for customers served under the County/RSS Franchise Agreement because they will be able to temporarily avoid the additional incremental costs for transfer and transportation to amore distant landfill. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Under Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs)Order R2-2002-0066,the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill is required to cease on-site disposal of waste effective January 31, 2006. According to the landfill operator,the surveys of the site indicate that a considerable amount of capacity will be left unfilled if the landfill closes at that date. In anticipation of the January 2006 closure, Republic Services has permitted and is constructing a transfer station that will provide disposal services by transporting waste. Republic Services has requested a modification of their WDRs to allow on-site disposal of 180,000 tons after January 31, 2006. Our support is based on Republic Services' assertion that it could restrict the additional disposal enabled by the proposed extension to select customers of whom the local franchised solid waste ratepayers would compose 70-85%. If the landfill continues to accept waste for disposal at about the same rate, it will take approximately 5-7 months to dispose of an additional 180,000 tons. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE �"'�- RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENVATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE— APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): 00 ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 4 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ;:Ir AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Deidra Dingman (925/335-1224) ATTESTED. Io/ lV� cc: Community Development Department (CDD) JOAN--S-,6-WEETEN, CLERK OF THE Lillian Fujii, County Counsel's Office BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND Lori Braunesreither, Health Services- Environmental Health COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Republic Services Inc. (via CDD) West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority(via CDD) BY , DEPUTY D:\Facilities-Sabenorio\WCCSL\MOU-BO_Support Letter to RWQCB-WCCSL Extension.doc The Board of Supervisors Cont'ra John Sweeten County Administration BuildingCost ^ Clerk of the Board 651 Pine Street,Room 106 Q and Martinez,California 94553-1293 Count County Administrator y (925)335-1900 John Gioia,1st District Gayle B.Uilkema,2nd District Mary N.Piepho,3rd District Mark DeSaulnier,4th District _ Federal D.Glover,5th District October 4, 2005 �• � __ ��a srA:coii_K'�ii' Mr. Terry Seward Regional Water Quality Control Board - San Francisco Bay Region 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400 Oakland, CA 94612 SUBJECT: DISPOSAL AT WEST CONTRA COSTA SANITARY LANDFILL Dear Mr. Seward: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors support Republic Services' request for an extension of the existing deadline for disposal operations at the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill to facilitate the orderly closure of the facility and to allow the community to receive the economic benefit of fully utilizing existing permitted airspace. Under Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB)Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) Order R2-2002-0066, the landfill is required to cease on-site disposal of waste effective January 31, 2006. According to Republic Services, recent surveys of the site indicate that a considerable amount of capacity will be left unfilled if the landfill closes. on that date. In anticipation of the January 2006 closure, Republic Services has permitted and is constructing a transfer station that will provide disposal services by transporting waste. It is our understanding that Republic Services has requested modification of their WDRs to allow on-site disposal of 180,000 tons after January 31, 2006. Our support is based on Republic Services' assertion that it could restrict the additional disposal enabled by the proposed extension to select customers of whom the local franchised solid waste ratepayers would compose 70-85%. Using this last available airspace will provide a direct financial benefit to these local ratepayers because it will delay collection rate increases associated with the additional incremental costs for transfer and transportation to a more distant landfill. Sincerely, 0a Gayle . Uilkema Chair, Board of Supervisors LAW OFFICES of SCOTT W. CORDON A PROFESSIONALCORPORAT1oN 1990 NORTH CALIFORNIA BLVD. SUITE 940 WALNUT CREEK,CALIFORNIA 94596 SCOTT W.CORDON 555 WEST 5TM STREET ENVIRONMENTAL,LAND USE SWGORDON@SBCGLOBAL.NET LOS ANGELES.CALIFORNIA 90013 PUBLIC AGENCY PRACTICE REPLY TO:WALNUT CREEK 925-295-3131 FAX:925295.3132 October 3,2005 The Hon. Gayle B.Uilkema,Chairperson And Members of the Board Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors 651 Pine Street,Rm.108A Martinez, CA 94553 Re: Item C. 17 Intergovernmental Relations West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill Time Extension Dear Chair Uilkema and Members of the Board: I am writing on behalf of my clients West Contra Costa.Sanitary Landfill,Inc. (WCCSL) and Republic Services,Inc. (Republic)concerning a request of WCCSL and Republic to extend the date for receipt of solid waste for disposal past January 31,2006 at the WCCSL facility near Richmond,California. Under Regional Water Quality Control Board(RWQCB)Waste Discharge Requirements (V;IDRs)-Order R2-2002-0066,the WCCSL landfill facility is required to cease on-site disposal of waste effective January 3.1,2006.However, surveys of the site indicate that a considerable amount of capacity will be left unfilled if the landfill closes at that date. In anticipation of the January 2006 closure,Republic Services(through Golden Bear Transfer Services,Inc.)has permitted and is constructing a solid waste transfer station at the WCCSL site that will provide disposal services by transporting waste.We have requested a modification of the WDRs to allow on-site disposal of approximately 180,000 tons after January 31,2006 to more fully utilize the remaining capacity of the WCCL site. WCCSL and Republic appreciate the willingness of this Board to consider support for this important request. In the event that the RWQCB approves an extension of time for WCCSL to receive solid wastes at the WCCSL facility past January 31, 2006, in consideration of this Board's support for the pending request before the RWQCB, WCCSL and Republic have agreed that the Host Community Mitigation Fees in the amounts set forth in the Memorandum of Understanding • The Hon. Gayle B.Uilkema, Chairperson And Members of the Board October 3,2005 Page 2 between the County and the City of Richmond will be collected on all solid waste and processible materials(whether disposed of in the WCCSL or another facility)effective February 1, 2006. Thank for your consideration of this request. Very ly urs, Scott W. Gordon SWG:cg Cc: William B. Terry Arthur J. Dudzinski Larry E.Burch