6.1. SR 02-19-2002City ~
Elkk. '-
River
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Item# 6.1.
MEMORANDUM
Mayor and City Council
Stephen Rohlf, Building and Zoning Administrator
February 19, 2002 '~'
Request to Construct Electrical Generation Facility at the Elk
River Landfill bY Waste Management and the Elk River
Municipal Utilities -Case # CU 02-01/P.H.
Request
Waste Management, the Elk River Municipal Utilities and Sherburne County are jointly
working on a project to construct a facility at the Elk River Landfill to produce electricity
from landfill gas. The project requires approval of a conditional use permit.
Attachments
A letter dated, December 31, 2001, from Bryan Adams, General Manager of the Elk River
Municipal Utilities.
Site plan, building layout and building elevation for the proposed structure.
Review
There is a generator currently at the landfill that is capable of producing 525KW. The
proposal is to replace the existing generator with up to 4 new ones capable of producing an
ultimate electrical capacity of 3200KW. This is enough electricity to serve more than 2,000
homes from a resource that would otherwise be wasted (landfill gas).
The generators will be housed in ~'building that will also include offices and a meeting room.
The meeting room will be used for educational purposes for energy and waste issues. This
project will be an Energy City Demonstration.
Staff did have the city's environmental consultant for the landfill review this request. His
comments are reflected in the stipulations below. The Landfill's conditional use permit was
recently reviewed and renewed. Staff is proposing that this issue be made an addendum to
that exiting CUP. Staff also agrees with Bryan Adams' comment in his attached letter that
drainage is not an issue with this request.
Recommendation
Staff fully supports this project and the Planning Commission recommends approval with
the followin~ conditions:
That a building permit is acquired and all appropriate building codes are met.
That a ten stall paved parking lot is provided for the building that includes a
minimum of one handicapped stall.
That the area surrounding the building is landscaped in accordance with city
requirements.
That all truck traffic associated with this facility use the main southern access to the
landfill for ingress and egress.
That an "Air Emission Permit" for the generation is obtained from the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
That air emission testing, as required by MPCA's permit, is conducted; that the
facility meet the air emission standards; and that test results are copied to the City of
Elk River.
That the stipulations of this approval are considered an addendum to the Landfill's
existing CUP.
Paver
Case Number:
Location Map
CU 02-01 Ell< River Landfill
N
!i~C-Zl-Z001 04:0ZPM FROM-EI~MU
,,.lk R_ive r
Mumdpal Utilities
322 King Avenue
Elk River, MN 55530
?Bi-441-B099
T-OBB
P.OOl/OOl
phone: 76:3.641.2020
F~ %5.441.8099
December 21, 2001
To'
Michele McPherson
Director of Plnnning
From: .Bryan C. Adams
General Manager
Subject:
Landfill Gas Electric Generation Project
Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU), as an active participant in Energy City activkies,
has been involved in utilizing Landfill Gas (LFG) to generate electricity at fl~e Elk River
Landfill since 1998. In 1998, a 525 KW electric generator fueled by LFG, was brought
on-line. Due to the mount of LFG now available, 'ERMU in parmership with Waste
Management m~d Sherbume County, desire to expand the LFG electric generation
project from the initial 525 KW capacity to ultimately 3200 KW. This is enough
elecrr/cal energy to supply over 2100 homes with their electrical needs.
This project entails removing the existing 525 KW engine / generator housed in an all-
weather metal enclosure m~d constructing approximatety a 5800 square foot masonry
building. This new building will house 3 - 800 KW engine / generator milts initially and
will be expandable to 4 - 800 KW units. This facility also contains a compressor room,
elecu-ical room for equipment, along with a bathroom, office, storage and an education
ceDter.
No grading plan or drainage calculations are included. Due to the flat sire, no grading is'
requkred. Due to the small footprint of this building, drainage is not an issue either.
cc: Deb Delm
NOTE,
DECEMBER I~98, ~ECEMBER [999 AND
JANUARY 3000 BY MEYER, ~GHLiN INC.
VERTICAL DATUM = NGVD 19~9
MONITORING WELL AND GAS ~ROSE
LOCATIONS PROVIDED BY WASTE
MANAGEMENT.
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