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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0582.031 2004-2006 Virginia Isbell +tvo. Phone No.: (808)326-5684 Vice Chair ' Fax No.: (808) 329-4786 District 7 - Centro[ Kona ~ E-Mail: visbell@co.hawaii.hi.us HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL 4 ~ County of Hawai `i ~ 75-5706 Hanama Place, Suite 709 Kai[ua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 ~ Cb `O August 8, 2006 TO: Stacy Higa, Chairman and Members of the Hawaii County Council FROM: Virginia Isbell, Vice Chair ~ ~ ~ ' C\'~ Hawaii County Council SUBJECT: Solid Waste RFP -Questions & Answers Aloha Chairman Higa and Members of the Hawaii County Council, Here aze three basic "Q&A's" about the Solid Waste RFP that I've put together for your consideration. Please note that these relate to "broad-brush" policy issues. 1. A Framework for Evaluating the Feasibility of a Waste to Energy Facility Q. What issues should the council consider in evaluating the feasibility of the proposed solid waste reduction facility, i.e. waste-to-energy facility (WTE)? A. The "Decision Makers' Guide to Solid Waste Management" released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1995, offers a framework for considering the basic issues associated with the development of a municipal solid waste combustion facility. This resource can be found at the following website: httn://www.epa. ¢ov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/dm¢2.htm The following information is from chapter 8 of the Guide, relating to combustion. Basic issues that can be considered include: Comm. No. S OZ . Ref. To: Re#. Date AUG 0 8 Z00& Hawaii County /s An Equa! Opportunity Provider And Employer __._W. August 8, 2006 Page 2 1) Identifying Goals: - What aze the goals of the proposed WTE facility? - Why is WTE the preferred technology? 2) Assessing Project Feasibility: - "When source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and waste-stream growth patterns are taken into account, is the remaining waste stream sufficient to support an energy recovery facility operating at or near capacity over the life of the project? - Is there a buyer for the energy produced by the energy facility? - Is there strong political support for a WTE facility? If the answer to any of these questions is "no," WTE incineration probably will not work, and other options should be considered." (See pg. 8-9 "Decision Maker's Guide to Solid Waste Management") - Has the plan for the facility taken into account other existing or future waste management practices in the service azea, including waste reduction, source separation, recycling, composting, and landfilling? In other words, is the development of the facility part of a unified solid waste management plan for the entire county? - Has the azea to be served by the WTE facility been cleazly defined? Has a planning process considered whether it would be advantageous to build one facility for the entire island versus one or two or more smaller facilities for vazious areas within the island? 3) Energy and Material Market: - "Because WTE facilities have high capital and operating costs, most need to produce significant income from energy sales to be economically viable. A buyer must be willing and able to enter into along-term contract to purchase energy at a competitive rate. Low revenues from energy sales must be offset by higher waste tipping fees. When several disposal options aze available, the one with the lowest overall life cycle net cost per ton, including transportation and ultimate disposal, usually will be chosen." (See pg. 8-12 "Decision Maker's Guide to Solid Waste Management") - What marketable products, i.e. electricity, steam, co-generation of steam and electricity, orrefuse-derived fuel will the facility produce? - Is there a market for these products? August 8, 2006 Page 3 4) Responsibility for Facility Operation - If a private contractor will operate the facility, will it assume liability for damages caused by breaks in service? This would include failure to meet contract obligations to an energy buyer. 5) Method of Financing - How will the project be financed? Note that chapter 8 also includes basic information about topics such as the combustion process and technologies and environmental permitting. (Although some of the technical information may no longer be applicable due to the evolving nature of technology, this Guide remains a useful source of possible issues and concerns relevant to this type of project.) 2. Developing aWaste-to Energy Facility Q. Is pursuing the development of awaste-to-energy facility patently unreasonable at this time? A. Hawaii State law mandates the following solid waste management practices and processing methods, in order of priority: 1) source reduction; 2) recycling and bioconversion, including composting; and 3) landfilline and incineration. (sec. 342G-2, HRS) These three distinct steps in the waste management continuum aze also addressed in the County's Solid Waste Management Plan. (See Pt. II relating to "Solid Waste Systems" in the ISWMP of August 1993). , While State law mandates that the County's first priorities should be to minimize our waste through effective source reduction and recycling programs, there will always be a need to dispose of the solid waste that remains. The standazd means to accomplish this, at this time, is through landfilling or incineration. (Note that "landfilling" includes the use of bioreactor processes.) Although it is therefore not unreasonable for the County to now explore this option through the rfp process, it is a step that should be undertaken with considerable care. Given the significance of this matter, it is incumbent upon the County to consider this project in a deliberate and thoughtful way and not simply leave the outcome up to the market to decide. Clearly, long-term costs can be substantial if the project is not properly planned and executed. August 8, 2006 Page 4 For more information see: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/disposal.htm http://www.epa. gov/cleanenergy/muni. htm 3. South Hilo Landfill Post Closure -Disposal Alternatives. Feasibility of Transporting Waste to the Mainland Q. Is transporting Hawaii County's solid waste to the mainland an option? A. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is presently considering a change to its administrative rules that would allow the transportation of solid waste from Hawaii to be disposed in landfills in the mainland. (This rule change was initiated as a result of the City & County of Honolulu's need to find alternative disposal options for its solid waste.) In order to avoid the inadvertent import of pests from Hawaii, the present rule change would only allow the importation of municipal waste which does not include agricultural or yazd wastes. This would require that some process be developed to prevent the contamination of shipped waste by any agricultural or yard waste. The comment period on the proposed rule closed on June 5, 2006 and a decision by the department is awaited. To view documents relating to the proposed rule change: - Go to: http://www.regulations.gov - In the "Search Regulations and Federal Actions box, select "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service" - In the Docket ID column type in "APHIS-2005-0047"