8.5. SR 08-20-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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EREQUEST FOR ACTION Raver TO ITEM NUMBER Mayor and City Council 8.5 AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY General Business August 20, 2012 Rebecca Haug, Environmental Administrator ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED By Resolution Supporting State Enforcement of MS 473.848 Cal Partner, City Administrator (Restrictions on Disposal of Metro Mixed Municipal Solid REVIEWED BY Waste) Peter Beck, City Attorney ACTION REQUESTED Adopt the resolution to support prompt enforcement of Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.848 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA),restricting disposal of unprocessed mixed municipal solid waste (MMSW) generated in the metropolitan area from being landfilled. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION In 1980, the Minnesota Legislature recognized the importance of waste management with the passage of the Waste Management Act (WMA) (Minn. Stat. §115A). The purpose is to improve integrated solid waste management (ISWM) to protect the state's natural resources and public health. It establishes the following hierarchy of preferred solid waste management practices: 1. waste reduction and reuse 2. waste recycling 3. composting ofyard waste and food waste 4. resource recovery through mixed municipal solid waste composting or incineration 5. land diiposal which produces no measurable methane gas or which involves the retrieval of methane gas as a fuel for the production of energy to be used on-site or for sale 6. land diiposal which produces measurable methane and which does not involve the retrieval of methane gas as a fuel for the production of energy to be used on-site or for sale In 1985, the Minnesota Legislature enacted Minn. Stat., Sect. 473.848,placing restrictions on the disposal of unprocessed mixed municipal solid waste generated in the metropolitan areas, for the purposes of implementing section 115A.02 and metro goals related to landfill abatement activities. A copy of Minn. Stat.,Sect. 473.848,is attached. The MPCA worked with metro communities to prepare a Metropolitan Waste Disposal Restrictions Report. The report determined that MMSW processing via waste-to-energy is superior to landfilling and is needed even after reuse, organic recovery, and recycling. Enforcement of Minn. Stat., Sect. 473.848 will ensure processing of MMSW to restore capacity to resource recovery facilities,increasing energy production,and extending the life of landfills by saving space. The MPCA will accept written comments through August 31, 2012. The report will be given to the legislature by October 1, 2012. Staff has prepared a resolution to the MPCA indicating the city's support � BfEBEB BY N:\Public Bodies\City Council\Council RCA\Agenda Packet\08-20-2012\MPCA Resolution.docx NATURE