2014-02-26 Environmental Management Commission Minutes

Home

• The issue has been ongoing for 20 years. • It is a difficult decision and there are long term costs. • There are diverse viewpoints on the waste stream. - Bottom line: We cannot push the can on down the road. There will be no more studies. • Where we are: - Need to establish a strong foundation so that people feel the process is fair and has integrity. - Maui and Oahu waste reduction facilities have been reviewed. - Need to set an aggressive timeline and hit every deadline to continue the process. - DEM is the most regulated department in the county with 44 Federal and State permits; 40 Solid Waste and 4 Wastewater. Daily tonnage for solid waste fluctuates. Options: 1. Truck all trash to Pu`uanahulu — West Hawai' i Sanitary Landfill. The Mayor and Council have taken this option off the table and it is not being considered. 2. Open a new landfill in Hilo: - Cost prohibitive cost at approximately $222M. - FAA approval is highly doubtful due to the close proximity to the Airport. - Time prohibitive. Waste reduction technology (WRT) - Options regarding type of technology are open. - 2 -Stage Request for Proposal (RFP) • Stage 1: Request for Qualifications (RFQ) * Money * Technology * Track Record Vendor must provide proof that the technology is safe; has a track record of 3 years' operation/management of a facility; financial ability and financial options offering private financing of Build- Operate of a facility. After review, there will be a short list selected to receive the State 2 RFP. ■ Stage 2: Waste Reduction Technology Proposal Timeline: February 4, 2014: Mayor presented information to County Council March 3, 2014: RFQ will be issued April 15, 2014: RFQ response deadline June 2, 2014: Selection of qualifying vendors July 15, 2014: Issuance of Stage 2 RFP October 15, 2014: Deadline for Stage 2 proposals January 1, 2015: Vendor selection April 3, 2015: Finalize and present contract to Council and Environmental Management Commission The commission will be updated throughout this process. Concerns: - It may be necessary to redirect some of the transfer station routing to ensure that we meet our obligation of guaranteeing 300 tons of trash a day in Hilo. - Green waste will not be utilized and there will be no impact on the county's recycling and diversion efforts. - The Mayor has had informal communications with HELCO regarding an energy purchase agreement and will increase the communications in hopes of having an informal agreement in place during the RFP process. Protests and challenges will delay the timeline. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.