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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-02-27 Minutes Environmental Management CommissionENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION February 27, 2013 Puna Conference Room, County Bldg., Room 1501, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, HI COMMISSIONERS ALSO PRESENT: Anne Lee PRESENT: Nancy Cook- -Lauer Stan Boren Bruce Lim Trina Nahm -Mijo STAFF. Dora Beck, Acting Director Sherrn Warner Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corp. Counsel Sharron Henry, Secretary EXCUSED: Steve Okoji Greg Ooodale, S TD Chief Thom Randle Linda Peters, Recycling Coordinator 1. CALL TO ORDER & ANNOUNCEMENTS: Commission Chair Anne Lee called the meeting to order at 9:25 a.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 30 2013 MEETING: Commissioner Sherm Warner moved to approve the January 30, 2013 minutes as written. Commissioner Stan Boren seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously with Lee, Boren, Lim, Nahm -Mijo and Warner voting yes. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 30 2013 EXECUTIVE SESSION: Commissioner Boren moved to approve the January 30, 2013 Executive Session minutes as written. Commissioner Warner seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously with Lee, Boren, Line, Nahm -Mii o and Warner voting yes. 3. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND /OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA.* None 4. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA: None 5. CORRESPONDENCE /REPORI'S/DISCUSSION: Director's Report (attached to original minutes): Wastewater Diiv s on_(W IJ 3. Administration The construction and start --up of the Kealakehe Aeration Upgrade and Sludge Removal project is on schedule. 4. Wastewater Capital Improvements: A. Kalaniana`ole Avenue Sewer Rehabilitation: Issues such as harder excavation, unexpected voids in the ground, unanticipated utilities and bad weather have delayed the traffic detouring so the project is scheduled to be completed May 2013 with detouring ending in April 2013. C. North Dona Sever & Effluent Reuse Upgrade: The redesign work for the south segment of the project is to commence in early April 2013. H. Sewer Rate Study: Prior to forwarding the study to Council, the department will present information on the existing conditions of the sewer infrastructure to the commission at the March meeting. The director will follow up with a timeline after the presentation. Solid waste Division 1. Compliance: Household Hazardous waste disposal events will be held at the Waimea Transfer Station on March 2, 2013 and at the Pahoa Transfer Station on March 3, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 2. Administration: The department and Solid. waste Division (SWD) will be presenting an overview of the current S" contracts to council in March and will be providing the same presentation to the commission later in this meeting. 3. Operations: - The department is currently working on new Information for Bid [IFB] requests for the scrap metal and abandoned vehicle programs. white goods are defined as appliances such as washers and refrigerators. 5. Recycling Section 1. and 2. The department is working on new bids for 2--Bin Recyclables Hauling and Landfill Diversion programs. 3. Organics Diversion (Composting): - The department is working with council to get a new multi -year contract. Further discussion is scheduled for the March 28 "h council meeting. - The department will do a presentation on composting to the Council on March 27'. The department will present this information to the commissioners at the March meeting. 6. Sort Station Update: - The January total tonnage of 128.67 represents a 5.8% diversion rate. - The overall diversion rate for 2012 was 3 8.1 %, up from 28% in 2011. - The estimated diversion goal for the Sort Station is 10%. 7. DEM /D wS Joint Billing Update: - DwS has decided to upgrade their billing software instead of participating with the City and County of Honolulu because they cannot meet the monthly billing requirement for the Oahu system. - The software upgrade is expected to be in place by January, 2014. At that time, DwS will look at water shutoff and joint billing with DEM. In the meantime. DEM is working on code changes to Chapter 21 of the Hawai' i County Code (HCQ to accommodate the joint billing and water shutoff. Prior to submitting the requested code changes to Council, DEM will present the information to the commission. Ques ions regardiqg regarding the Director's Report. Commissioner Line asked if the lining was just being put Inside the pipe on the Kalaniana`ole Avenue Sever Project. The director explained that yes, the technology was called slip lining and the material used was similar to very strong plastic that is resistant to the erosion caused by hydrogen sulfide. Although this technology decreases the pipe capacity, wwD found that the original pipe was oversized and there would be no impact to the current or projected. flows. -- Commissioner warner asked if an evaluation would be done of the avoided costs of diversion at the Sort Station because benefits are more than just financial. SWD Chief Goodale confirmed that it was being considered, along with evaluating diversion at the transfer stations. The goal would be to divert more at the transfer stations which would be dependent upon State DOH permitting requirements. Commission Member District Reports -- includes information obtained from meetings with council members and district residents since the last commission meeting. District 9 — warner had no nears on the Parker Ranch wastewater Treatment Plant. He met with Councilmember Poindexter and she shared a concern about comparing the organics diversion and composting costs. District 3 -- Liam talked with Councilmember onishi and he requested that the closure plan, or alternatives following closure, for the South. Hilo Sanitary Landfill (SHSL) be placed on the next commission meeting agenda for discussion. Commissioner Nahm -Mijo asked which districts had vacancies on the commission and was told Districts 1, S, 7 and 8. District 6 -- Lee talked with Senator Russell Ruderman regarding the DOE trash contracts not including recycling. He will be looking into it next session and it was noted that he is a member of the Education Committee. She asked him for consideration of additional funding for the department and Director Beck provided some additional projects where funding is necessary: - Farmer's use of R,-1 water from the Nd` alehulPahala wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The director noted the challenges for reuse water would include how to distribute the water and how to charge for its use. - Additional phases of the Kealakehe wwTP effluent reuse project and the forth Kona sewer and effluent reuse upgrade. Lee asked what the real amount of funding the DEM would need and the director explained it would just be an estimate until contracts were let but she would check further. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None 7, NEW BUSINESS Department's overview of the solid waste programs to include existing contracts - An informational document, Active Solid waste /Recycling Contracts as of March 2013 (attached to original minutes), was distributed. This information was compiled as a response to a January 26, 2013 request from Councilmember Wille and is scheduled to be presented to council on March 12, 2013. - The contract categories include Recycling, Education, Abandoned vehicles and Solid waste programs. - The "Service Provided" column describes the services the contract is providing. - The "Purpose/Function" column identifies targeted items in the contracts. - "FY 11 -12 Annual Costs" column notes the annual costs of that fiscal year. There were no contract limitations /restrictions except on the west Hawai` i Sanitary Landfill Construction, Operation and Closure contract where the County is charged disposal fees based on a tiered system. - "Revenue Source" identifies how the contract is being funded. - "General Process Description" describes what is being done. - Contracts 1 through 11 and 15 are price terra agreements; the department pays for the quantities processed per month and fund certifications are done prior to payment being made. -- Contracts 12 through 14 and 16 through 18 are professional services contracts for consulting services. -- Contract 5 is a zero bid. The only cost to the county is labor to conduct the collection events and is funded by a State grant. Contract 8 is a landfill diversion incentive programs contract. Contract 14 is for Education & Outreach on the plastic bag reduction ordinance and rules. Commissioner warner asked DEM's observations on how the reduction ordinance was going. Linda Peters, Recycling Coordinator, stated that the department has done visual surveys at retail stores. The February survey, following the implementation of the bill, showed 80% use of reusable bags compared to only 13% in the September 2012 survey prior to the bill's implementation. Commissioner warner asked hove much longer Contract 18 for Fire Monitoring of the Old Waimea landfill would have to continue since it appears there are no longer fires at the site. SWD Chief Goodale said that the department would request DOH to allow a decrease in monitoring activity. Director Beck noted that the chart would be completed further and revised prior to the March 12th presentation to Council, to possibly include a flow chart, or pictorial, to assist the council in identifying the location and type of services provided; where they are taken upon collection. The Ground water Monitoring contract for the Hilo and west Hawai' i landfills will be added. Commissioner Boren requested clarification on what types of plastics can be recycled and was told numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5. He also asked about e -waste collections in Dona and was informed that the county had monthly collections on Saturdays at Hilo (4th), Kealakehe (P), Wai`6hinu (1 st) and Waimea (2nd) Transfer Stations for residents. Commercial e -waste collection is on the last Friday of each month at the Hilo Transfer station. S. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Budget — March South Hilo Sanitary Landfill Closure Plan -- March Composting Presentation by SWD in preparation for presentation to Council -- March Sewer Facilities Overview ---- March Draft Sewer Rate Study results Sewer Connection Waiver /Exemption Policy Update to include expected date of implementation MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS • March 20 WHCC Liquor Control Conference Room, Bldg. B 2nd Floor Kailua -Dona HI q g • April 24 Aupuni. Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, HI May 29 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua- -Dona, HI • June 26 Aupuni Center Conference boom, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, HI • July 31 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua -Kona, III • August 28 Aupuni Center Conference Room., 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, HI • September 25 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua -Dona, HI • October 30 Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, HI • November 27 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua -Dona, HI • December No meeting 10. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner warner made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Nahm -Mijo and the meeting adjourned at 10:20 am. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: SHARRON HENRY Envirom-rental Management Secretary FORMAT NOTE.- ACTION ITEMS ARE IN BOLD PRINT (MOTIONS AND ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR FUTURE MEETINGS).