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Home My WebLink About2013-06-26 Minutes Environmental Management Commission ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION June 26, 2013 County of Hawai'i Aupuni Center Conference Room 101 Pauahi Street,Hilo,HI COMMISSIONERS ALSO PRESENT: Anne Lee PRESENT: Nancy Cook Lauer Christine Dochin John Dill Kerri Marks Bruce Lim Richard Nelson Trina Nahm-Mij o Thom Randle STAFF: BJ Leithead Todd, Director Sherm Warner Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corp. Counsel Sharron Henry, Secretary EXCUSED: 1. CALL TO ORDER& ANNOUNCEMENTS: Commission Chair Anne Lee called the meeting to order at 9:13 a.m. and welcomed back BJ Leithead Todd, newly appointed Department Director. She noted that this was Deputy Corporation Counsel Ivan Torigoe's last meeting and thanked him for the help, direction and service that he has provided to the commission. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 24,2013 MEETING: Commissioner Sherm Werner moved to approve the April 24,2013 minutes as written. Commissioner Bruce Lim seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously with members present: Lee,Dill,Lim, Nahm-Mijo, Randle and Warner voting yes. • 3. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA: None 4. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA: Richard Nelson introduced himself as Director of Operations of Waste Refinement(WR), a waste reduction technology company. He distributed an information packet(attached to original minutes). He offered the following comments: - WR's intent of involvement in Hawai`i County is to convert the existing municipal waste stream into organic biochar that would be used as a fuel source for the island or ingredient or other useable product. - WR has previously met with DEM staff and also presented this proposal to council in 2011. - He explained the pyrolysis non-burn process they use and indicated they would require the use of the Sort Station and an area behind it to build their facility. - WR has no facilities in operation in the world and wants to use Hawai'i County as their Model facility. - He also spoke of mining the landfill,removing recyclables and returning the cover rock to the county to use. 5. APPEALS HEARING: Appellant: Charles A. Anderson, Trustee under the Charles A. Anderson Profit-Sharing Plan Trust Agreement Petition of Appeal: Acting Director's 2/12/13 denial of the appellant's request for time extension to connect to County Sewer System, TMK: 4-5-007:013 Chair Lee informed the Commission that the Appeal had been withdrawn. 1 6. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: • Director's Report(attached to original minutes): Legislation Council member Kern is making additional amendments to Bill 44. An amendment is being made to Bill 79 to change the enforcement agency from DEM to Research and Development (R&D). DEM has indicated to the council that there are no funds in next year's budget for additional staffing, training and the testing that would be required for enforcement. Wastewater Division(WWD) 4.C. North Kona Sewer& Effluent Reuse Upgrade: The Department has met with State Department of Transportation and is negotiating directly with them in an attempt to reduce DEM's portion of the additional cost of the re-design. A meeting is scheduled this week with the Mayor, DEM and Department of Water Supply (DWS) regarding joint billing. The Director will follow up with the WWD on the HIOSH HWWTP inspection report. Solid Waste Division 2. Operations: - SHSL/Sort Station: • The amount of materials that could be diverted at the Sort Station and kept out of the landfill would increase with better and more appropriate sorting equipment. The director indicated the Sort Station staff is doing the best they can with what they have. • More public education is needed to encourage residents to separate recyclables and not dispose of all items with their rubbish. • The county must encourage/require private rubbish haulers to provide recyclable collection along with, and separate from, the rubbish collection. • There is an additional face of the landfill that is available for sliver fill. With approval from DOH and appropriate permits, another 10 to 12 years of landfill life is possible allowing additional time, if needed,to implement a WTE operation. • New tarps have been ordered for the landfill cover. - Abandoned Vehicle (AV) & Towing Program: • The bids for towing of AVs are being reviewed to award the contract. 3. Solid Waste Capital Improvements: - Volcano/Glenwood Transfer Station Repairs—the department is requesting priority funding for these repairs, along with Waiohinu. 5. Recycling Section 4. Hi-5 Certified Redemption Centers: • DEM is negotiating with Business Services Hawaii, the current vendor, regarding services that can be done with the reduced funding of$483,000 received from the State. There will be a reduction of some hours but all current Hi-5transfer sites will remain open. • The results are more restrictions and reporting but less funding from the State. Other Recycling Section Activities: 3. Electronic Recycling: • Commissioner Warner indicated that there were less than 20 items at the last Waimea E- waste collection and they were compiled over a month's time. He shared his concerns of 2 having monthly collection in Waimea with such low turn-out. Commissioner Warner commended the SWD on its efforts in making the transfer station chutes more safe and said it was working. Commissioner Randle requested that the director involve the commission more in assisting the department. • Commission Member District Reports—includes information obtained from meetings with council members and district residents since the last commission meeting. District 5 —Commissioner Nahm-Mijo reported that some residents talked with her in support of the GMO legislation. District 6—Commissioner Lee followed up with Senator Ruderman regarding the State DOE's inclusion of recycling in their rubbish collection contracts. It was not addressed this year but will try again next year. District 1 —Commissioner Dill met with Councilmember Ilagan who requested that the county provide mulch at a site near the Makuu Farmer's Market for residential pick-up. He had previously made this request to the department and received the department's decision. 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS, Discussion of the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill(SHSL) Closure Plan and Alternatives following Closure - Department is in the preliminary stage of looking at alternatives. - The total County tonnage from both East Hawai'i and West Hawaii landfills is about 400 tons a day. Depending on the technology,the price of the waste reduction facility can be impacted by the amount processed. Generally,the more tons per day a better per ton price can be reached. - There are also technical and cost challenges with municipal solid waste as it is not a uniform feed stock. - The department will focus on extending the life of the landfill by expanding the sliver filled operation while we look at a Request for Information(RFI) and/or an RFP. Proposed Sewer and Solid Waste Hawaii County Code changes to address existing and minimize/prevent future delinquencies - The Director indicated that she feels there is enough flexibility in the code that no changes will be needed. - The Director noted that there may be some specific instances where variances would be granted. - Councilmember Onishi has scheduled a meeting with the department to discuss proposals to change the code. 8. NEW BUSINESS Update and Discussion of Recycling in the State Department of Education contracts for Public Schools - Commissioner Lee followed up from Senator Ruderman regarding the State DOE's inclusion of recycling in their rubbish collection contracts. It was not addressed in this year's contracts but will try again next year. 9. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 3 - Sewer Connection Waiver/Exemption Policy Update to include expected date of implementation - Process and Timeline for re-evaluation and decision-making of Solid Waste Programs 10. MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS - Commissioner Dill again welcomed Director Leithead Todd and stated "the commission is here to help you." - 2013 Meeting Schedule • July 31 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua-Kona, HI • August 28 Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, HI • September 25 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua-Kona, HI • October 30 Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, HI • November 27 WHCC Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, Kailua-Kona, HI • December No meeting 11. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Dill made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Warner. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 10:29 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: N � SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management Secretary FORMAT NOTE: ACTION ITEMS ARE IN BOLD PRINT(MOTIONS AND ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR FUTURE MEETINGS). 4