Proposal #1
Use closure funds for capping trench
In 1994 the county was faced with a situation; many upgrades to the plant were needed to meet new federal requirements. A bond request was made, it identified the upgrades that would be made in addition to the opening of a new trench (see attachment A3). Those upgrades included a new 50 TPD burner, a scrubbing system for pollutants, and an emissions monitoring system. The DEQ also required that the county establish a closure plan and set aside enough money to pay for final closure and monitoring of the site for the next 30 years. The estimated cost of final closure and monitoring costs for the Beaver Hill, Joe Ney, and Bandon landfill sites is $11.4 million. In order to meet the DEQ requirement the Solid Waste facility set aside money from its operating budget each year and the county added additional funds. Currently the Beaver Hill Solid Waste facility meets or exceeds DEQ operating requirements; however we do not meet the requirements for permanent closure and monitoring of this and the other two facilities. As of today the county has a reserve of slightly more than $2 million dollars. The Bandon site is in the final stages of closure but it will still need to be monitored for another 30 years at an estimated cost of $1 million over that time.
When the plant was upgraded and trench #3 was opened, the survey of the trench site included a final ash cap designed to cover trenches 1, 2 and 3 (see attachment A1 pg. 5, par. 6-8, and figures 6-9 & 11). The capping trench was estimated to provide for operating into the year 2025. One of the engineers involved in the opening of trench #3 recently provided a cost estimate for the capping trench. If the Beaver Hill Disposal site were to close with the filling of trench #3, it is possible that there would not even be enough money in the reserve funds for closure, much less the required 30 year monitoring of the site. The County would be responsible for securing the necessary funds and would most likely need to cut public services or raise taxes to generate the approximately $8 to $9 million needed (see attachment A2).
I am proposing that the County either lend the Solid Waste facility the funds from the general budget or allow us to use the reserve funds to open the capping trench. By doing so, the County will not only be able to continue to provide a valuable service to its residents, it will also allow for fifteen more years to set aside the money necessary for final closure and long term monitoring.
While the current rate of funding the reserve would not achieve the projected amount needed for final closure in the next 15 years, it would come much closer than we are today, and give us additional time to find other sources of revenue.
This is one of three proposals that I am submitting for your consideration, and while it is not the proposal I most strongly support, I believe it is a viable way to solve our most immediate need, and would provide time for the economy to improve before asking voters to approve additional, or alternative funding.
fmesserle@co.coos.or.us cparry@co.coos.or.us bmain@co.coos.or.us ourcountysite@charter.net
