RES 12-45 RESOLUTION 12-45
1111 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT PROMPT ENFORCEMENT BY THE
MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY OF MINNESOTA
STATUTES, SECTION 473.848
WHEREAS, the goals of the City of Elk River are in agreement with the goals of the State
of Minnesota, delineated in Minnesota Statutes, Section 115A.02, which
states: "It is the goal of this chapter to protect the state's land, air, water and other
natural resources and the public health by improving waste management in the state to serve
the following purposes: (1) reduction in the amount and toxicity of waste generated; (2)
separation and recovery of materials and energy from waste; (3) reduction in indiscriminate
dependence on disposal of waste; (4) coordination of the solid waste management among
political subdivisions;and (5) orderly and deliberate development and financial security of
waste facilities, including disposal facilities."; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848, placing restrictions on the disposal of
unprocessed mixed municipal solid waste generated in the metropolitan area,
was adopted in 1985 for the purposes of implementing the policies
established in Section 115A.02; and
411 WHEREAS, the City of Elk River has a long standing policy of supporting those
initiatives that reduce the need for indiscriminate land disposal of solid waste
through various waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery efforts;
and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848 has been in law for 27 years and,
pursuant to this law, significant investments have been made in processing
facilities to reduce dependence on indiscriminate land disposal of mixed
municipal solid waste; and
WHEREAS, the City of Elk River has licensed and supports Great River Energy's Elk
River Resource Recovery Project,which is currently processing mixed
municipal solid waste into Renewable Energy so that it need not be
landfilled; and
WHEREAS, in 2005, the MPCA became responsible for enforcing Minnesota Statutes,
Section 473.848 and;beginning in late 2010,the MPCA began studying how
to enforce the provisions of this statute;and
WHEREAS, enforcement of Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848 will provide direct
benefits to the public by reducing the indiscriminant landfilling of mixed
municipal solid waste; and
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WHEREAS, enforcement of Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848 will ensure that
processing facilities receive their operational capacity of mixed municipal •
solid waste, thereby greatly reducing the need for public subsidies; and
WHEREAS, enforcement of Minnesota Statute 473.848 will not adversely impact existing
or potential expansions to methane/landfill gas to energy facilities;and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848 is good public policy that encourages the
recovery of resources, including renewable energy and recvclables, from
mixed municipal solid waste; and
WHEREAS, the City of Elk River is not concerned about potential reductions in host
community/expansion fees and/or surcharge fees due to the enforcement of
Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848.
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Elk River
to continue to support the processing of mixed municipal solid waste as a preferred
management option to land disposal and further supports the MPCA's prompt enforcement
of Minnesota Statute Section 473.848 in such a way that the existing capacity of facilities
that manage mixed municipal solid waste through the separation and recovery of materials
and energy is maximized and opposes any further delays to such enforcement that additional
studies or other actions may cause.
Passed and adopted this 20th day of August, 2012. d •
NAI
In J. Hietz, M. or
ATTEST:
Tina Allard, City rk
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