4.16. SR 11-19-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City°f Memorandum Elk ,. r To: Mayor and City Council From: Elk River Energy City Commission Date: September 10, 2018 Subject: Discontinuation of GRE's Waste to Energy Project Thank you for the opportunity to engage in discussion of the future goals and vision of the Energy City Commission at your June 4, 2018, Council Workshop. City Council has directed the Commission to seek solutions for the possible discontinuation of GRE's Elk River Resource Recovery Project (Pro)ect). As follow up to the workshop, the Commission's August 15, 2018, meeting revolved around the topic,impact to the community, and role that the Commission should play in gathering information and/or providing support for the future of the operation. The Commission is not in a position to specifically address the day to day operation of the facility because there are many financial, operational and technical details or risks that require evaluation before any organization would take over, or continue the operation of the Project. The Commission is not in a position to determine that the risks are acceptable but supports the Council to encourage the county and GRE to evaluate the risks and determine how best to support the long-term operation of the Project. It is the Commission's position that the Council encourage Sherburne County to support the continued operation of the Project and seek long-term solutions for the following reasons: • The Project demonstrates the city's responsibility of managing and disposing of its own waste and showing a commitment to providing a landfill alternative for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). • The Project helps achieve the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's goals to promote landfill abatement and encourage environmentally-favorable MSW disposal. • Waste-to-energy is preferred to landfilling waste, and this Project currently provides this service for Elk River, as well as Sherburne,Anoka and Hennepin Counties. POWERED 6T