04-21-2010 ECC MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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MOTION BY COMMISSIONER TOUCHETTE AND SECOND BY MAYOR KLINZING TO HAVE THE NEXT ENERGY CITY MEETING AT ELK RIVER FORD AT 3:00 P.M. FOR ONE HOUR. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. Chair Zehringer added that the meeting may possibly travel to the Environmental Learning Center in June. 11.Other 11.1 Tours: Chair Zehringer stated that tours regularly come from the State Department and MN International Center (the next group comes Monday). He sent around the bios of the tour attendees coming; all from Central and South America and Dominican Republic. There will be two interpreters and 19 individuals. He added that the Haubenschild's farm demonstration site, burning 60% methane from anaerobic digester (creating enough energy for their home and 70 other homes) is down [non-functional] at the moment for the same reason the landfill has issues. The engines are having problems with Hydrogen Sulfide gas coming from sheetrock waste. The gas combines with water to create sulfuric acid and rapidly breaks down valves, etc. Demolition debris cells at the landfill may be removed from the system. Dennis Haubenschild started using gypsum bedding which is getting into the manure and creating similar problems. All the bacteria in the digester were killed and the acid is causing engine problems. Chair Zehringer added that the Methane Plant is doing great, but could be doing better if the Hydrogen Sulfide gas was gone. Using a fuel cell was questioned. The Haubenschilds have one but it has never worked right. Anything other than pure fuel (i.e. natural gas) needs to be conditioned first and "front end costs" can be more than the fuel and fuel cell, etc. The next Energy City tour is mainly scientists and journalists. Chair Zehringer had a bunch of boy scouts from Elk River last week. He also had a family that wanted a tour but he declined due to the timing. Environmental Administrator Haug commented that an age requirement has been added (as a recommendation) because really young children don't work out as well. Chair Zehringer added that he always meets tours at the wind turbine and has them follow the tour leader to the Learning Center. International tours go on expanded tours and multiple sites. 11.2 Updates: Environmental Administrator Haug stated that she will be speaking regarding Energy City next Wednesday in St. Cloud for "Funding Sustainability". She doesn't have a lot of time to talk, but other cities want to network and learn about what Elk River is doing to expand their efforts. Cathy Mehelich (Economic Development Director) and Environmental Administrator Haug will be exhibiting Energy City at the "Greening the Heartland Conference" (national conference) and are working with the marketing firm that works with the EDA. She added that a Swedish company which had toured Energy City a while ago is looking fora "home" for their manufacturing company that makes parts for geothermal heat pumps. She is hoping to help find a way to get them to locate here. Environmental Administrator Haug and Chair Zehringer will be speaking at the EDAM (Economic Development Association of MN) conference on June 17th at Madden's in Brainerd. She stated that this means others are showing interest in Elk River and it's a good opportunity for marketing Elk River. Mayor Klinzing commented that several thousand people will attend the Greening the Heartland conference.