5.4. SR 07-08-2002Item 5.4.
City
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
DATE:
Stephen Rohlf, Building and Zoning Administrator
July 8, 2002
SUBJECT:
Municipal Utilities Request for Financial Assistance for the
Landfill Gas Generation Project
The specific request to use landfill abatement funds addressed in this memo is by the Elk
River Municipal Utilities to aid the landfill gas generation project. However, staff
anticipates at least three other re~.,uests to use this fund in the near future. These other
requests will be briefly outlined ~h this memo to give the Council a more complete
picture.
The city's landfill abatement fund currently has a balance of over 1.5 million dollars.
According to State Statute, this money shall be used for landfill abatement and mitigating
and compensating for local risk. The city has a separate bond for post closure issues at
the Elk River Landfill.
The Elk River Municipal Utilities request has to do with the active gas venting system at
the Elk River Landfill. In an attached letter, Bryan Adams of the Elk River Municipal
Utilities (ERMU) requests $50,000 to replace the existing condensate extraction system
with a more efficient one. As the Council is aware, ERMU is spearheading the eff6rt to
replace the existing generator used to produce electricity from landfill gas with three new
generators. The new condensate extraction system, for which the funds are being
requested, is part of this project.
Staff feels the request meets the "mitigating local risk" portion of the statute that governs
the use of landfill abatement funds. Staff recommends the cost of the condensate
extraction system be reimbursed through landfill abatement funds, up to $50,000
maximum. ,.~
The second request is Item 3.6 on the consent agenda. Staff is proposing that landfill
abatement funds be used to front the cost of the cleanup at the RC Rolloffs site. It is hard
to calculate a dollar amount, not knowing the extent of what is at the site, but it could be
as much as $100,000. These costs will be assessed back to the property. Staff feels this
request meets the intent of State Statute and recommends approval.
A third request staff anticipates this year is Waste Management asking for approxim,.ately
$70,000 of landfill abatement monies to partially fund the treatment of a plum of
contamination on the west side of the landfill (associated with well P 17C). The extent
and location of this contamination has been under study for a long period of time. We
now have enough information to begin remediation.
Staff feels that it is important to use landfill abatement funds for issues that the city
considers to be a priority at the landfill. One of the city's reasons for regulating the
landfill is to ensure that contamination does not leave the site. Staff will present this
request to the Council after Mltt Ledvina, city's landfill consultant, has a chance to'
review and endorse the proposed work.
The last request anticipated has to do with the Environmental Learning Center, a room
attached to the landfill gas electrical generation building. Beside energy conservation,
one of the environmental issues that will be highlighted in the Environmental Learning
Center is recycling. Much like the Boys and Girls Club, staff anticipates landfill
abatement funds being requested to purchase furnishings for this building that promote
recycling. Staff will present this issue to the council when the details are known.