HAMILTON COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MANAGER'S MEMORANDUM

DATE: May 4, 2001

TO: District Policy Committee Members

FROM: Jeffrey W. Aluotto, Solid Waste Manager
Cory R. Chadwick, Director

I. Introduction/Opening Comments

NOTICE: This memo is for the meeting to be held on May 10 , 2001. This meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the conference room of the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services, 250 William Howard Taft.

II. Clerk's Report/Additions to the Agenda
A. Approval of Minutes - March 8, 2001
Minutes from the March 8, 2001 Policy Committee Meeting are included as Attachment A for the Policy Committee's review and approval.

B. Additions to the Agenda
Please contact Susan Schumacher at 946-7734 if you have items to add to the agenda.

III. Finance Subcommittee Report
A. Finance Subcommittee Briefings for April and May 10, 2001
Mr. Graham will provide a brief report regarding the items discussed and reviewed at the Finance Subcommittee meetings of February 8 and March 8, 2001

B. Recommendation Regarding District Disbursements - SWR 03/2001
The Finance Subcommittee reviewed the expenditures at their meeting held prior to this meeting.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: With any alterations or corrections noted by the Finance Subcommittee members or Policy Committee members, the Staff recommends approval of SWR 02/2001.

IV. Policy Items
A. HB 166 and SB 71
As detailed in the legislative analysis spreadsheet, distributed to Policy Committee members, HB 166 and SB 71 are two bills with significant potential to affect Hamilton County from a solid waste planning perspective. Both of these bills would place moratoriums on the siting, expansion, or modification of solid waste facilities until the State's siting criteria can be reviewed.

In addition to the fact that the State's siting criteria is already being reviewed by OEPA in accordance with their 5 year review policy, each of these pieces of legislation is an attempt to implement a state-wide reaction to localized landfill issues.

In constructing these bills, the legislators relied on state-wide geologic and landfill capacity data to determine that a moratorium was appropriate. OEPA has estimated that 22 years of landfill capacity exist state-wide. District Staff feel it is important to convey to Hamilton County's legislative delegation that this state-wide data is, in many respects, not applicable to Hamilton County. Not only is Hamilton County in a more precarious position in terms of the ability for a moratorium to affect short-term planning capacity; but the operating procedures of Rumpke, as well as Hamilton County's local geology serve to minimize the environmental threat which may legitimately exist in other areas of the State. The prevailing geology in Hamilton County, negates much of the concern regarding the environmental impact of fractured glacial till. In addition, Rumpke, in the construction of new cells, excavates to bedrock before beginning waste placement. This was stated by Mr. Riddle at the March 8, 2001 Policy Committee Meeting and confirmed in conversations with OEPA staff.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: District Staff recommends that the Policy Committee take a position in opposition to HB 166 and SB 71, in their current form, as these pieces of legislation do not consider factors local to Hamilton County in imposing a state-wide landfill moratorium.

V. Informational Items
A. Transfer Station Activity and Planning Projections
During passage of the District's latest Plan Update, the issue of transfer stations was raised - particularly as it relates to the ability of those facilities to export waste from Hamilton County. This was viewed as a potential problem as exported waste could result in lower District revenues. Based upon Staff estimates, the CSI Transfer Station took in between 120,000 and 160,000 tons in 2000. These estimates are in the process of being confirmed by CSI personnel. During 2000, District monthly revenue was, on average, higher than ususal - but fluctuated much more than in past years. While there may be many reasons for this phenomenon, it is certainly possible that transfer stations are influencing the amount of waste disposed in District.

The District is not currently suffering from severe revenue declines as a result of the existing transfer station in Hamilton County. Using the data from the first three months of 2001, the District is on pace for $2.5 million in annual revenue. This does not mean, however, that declines could not manifest themselves in the future. Staff feels it important that the Policy Committee be kept aware of this issue, and the District's planned response, should these revenue decreases materialize.

Staff will go into more detail on this issue and the District's planned response at the Policy Committee Meeting.

B. Green Building/Buy Recycled Procedures
District personnel recently met with the Directors of the Hamilton County Public Works Department and Hamilton County Facilities Department. The goal of the meeting was to determine a procedure for examining and if possible including recycled content materials in the construction and maintenance of Hamilton County facilities. The three departments succeeded in developing a strategy for integrating recycled content materials into the review process for future County projects. Further details of this process will be provided at the Policy Committee meeting.

The District has received proposals for its Secondary Materials Study (as outlined at the last District Policy Committee meeting). The District is in the process of scheduling interviews with two of the three consulting firms which submitted proposals.

The District is preparing to submit an ODNR Market Development Grant for On-Spec Materials. On-Spec is a local manufacturer which uses post-consumer/industrial plastics to manufacture various products for use in the construction and design industry. Manufacturers wishing to apply for a Market Development Grant must do so through their local solid waste management district.

D. Alliance For Chemical Safety Household Hazardous Waste Proposal
As reported at the last District Policy Committee meeting, District Staff is currently assisting members of the Alliance for Chemical Safety in the evaluation of a permanent HHW collection facility in Hamilton County. Toward that end, the District has arranged a tour of Summit County's collection facility. The Summit County facility is the most comprehensive public sector facility located in the State of Ohio. The tour will take place on May 30^th and is open to any Policy Committee member wishing to attend.

E. District List Serve Project
In an effort to facilitate communication between itself and political subdivisions, the District will be launching a list serve project in late May. The list serve will allow solid waste or administrative personnel at each political subdivision to communicate with all other subscribed contacts in the County. The idea of a List Serve was well received at the first meeting of the District's Recycling Outreach Committee. A full report on this first Committee meeting will be given in July.

F. Computer Recycling Event
The District is still in the process of planning a computer recycling event for June 29 and June 30. The District has sent approximately 4,000 flyers to residents and organizations advertising the event. In addition, District Staff attended an event in Cuyahoga County to gain firsthand knowledge of how these events operate. The District is actively seeking more volunteers for the event on both days.

VI. Tentative Future Agenda Items

VII. Policy Committee Members' Comments

VIII. Public Comments

IX. Upcoming District Meetings
The date and time of the next regularly scheduled Policy Committee meeting will be Thursday, July 12, 2001, at 2:00 pm at the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services, 250 William Howard Taft Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219.

X. Adjournment (Target Time: 3:30 p.m.)