HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.a. Dakota County IncineratorCITY OF ROSEMOUNT
XECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING 'DATE: October 6, 1992
AGENDA ITEM:Dakota',County
Incinerator Project
AGENDA SECTION:
Administrators Report
PREPARED BY: Stephan JIlk,
City AdministratorAGENDIRM
# 8A
ATTACffiNTSs-Press'Release
on Appeals Court
APP OVED BY
Decision, MPCA/DAKOTA
COUNTY AGREEMENT
The Minnesota Court of Appeals provided a decision which awarded Dakota
County the opportunity to be granted a permit for the construction and
operation of the proposed incinerator. Following that decision Dakota
County and the MPCA entered into discussion on the possible appeal to that
decision. The outcome of that discussion was .an agreement between the MPCA
and Dakota County which provided for the issuance of a permit for a smaller,
incinerator. The "design" capacity of the incineratorwill be 600 tons per
day versus 800. The 'actual throughput will be 510 tons per day versus 640
tons per day with original design.
There are two environmental action groups which have appealed the decision
to the Minnesota SupremE Court. Whether the Supreme Courtwillhear the.
appeal is yet to be determined. There is a strong feeling that since the
MPCA and Dakota`, County lave reached agreement for the _issuance of the
permit that it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will hear the case.
Meanwhile, Dakota Count is proceeding with planning the project,
completing the financinc for the project and initiating the permitting;
process they will need to go through with the City of Rosemount. City and
County staff have met tc review the process which will have to be completed
by the County for this project and discuss project schedules etc.
In order to "re-educate' the City Council and City Commissions on the
project we are arranginS to have County Staff to make a presentation to the
council and commissions at a meeting very soon. Lisa Freese is
coordinating that effort and will provideadditionalcomment on the
project.
At this time this item is brought to you as an update and an opportunity
for discussion.
RECOI�Il�IENDED ACTION':
NONE
COUNCIL ACTION•
F/NA)
r DAKOTA COUNTY
ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
TELEPHONE
(612) 438-4418
DAKOTA COUNTY GOVERNMENT COMPLEX 1590 W HIIN. 55. HASTINGS. MINNESOTA 55033-2392
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Marie Coutu, 438-4532
September 23, 1992
Dakota County reachesagreement
with MPCA on waste -to energy plant
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners reached an agreement
Wednesday with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that should
allow the County to stop the unnecessary landfilling of raw garbage
produced in the county.
The compromise proposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPGA) gives the County a permit for a waste -to -energy facility that
will burn an average of 510 tons per day instead of the 640 ton -per -
day average the County had requested. The County Board approved the
agreement 4-1 at a sp cial meeting Wednesday night.
"Our concern today, as it has been for the last 10 years, is to
manage the solid waste produced in Dakota County in the most
environmentally respo;sible and cost-effective manner," said County
Board Chairman Donald R. Chapdelaine. "The MPCA and the County have
reached a reasonable Agreement which allows us to proceed with an
environmentally sound'jplan for the garbage that is not recycled."
Dakota County has one of the best recycling records in the state,
and has a goal of rec cling 50 percent of the waste stream by the year
2000. The compromise lith the MPCA means that 90 percent of residents
will need to recycle �0 percent of their recyclable items.
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Last month, the Minnesota Court of Appeals overturned the MPCA's
earlier denial of a permit for the waste -to -energy incinerator. -The
appeals court decision clearly supported the County's position that no
realistic alternatives for the facility exist, and that the
Metropolitan Council has jurisdiction for solid waste planning in the
metropolitan region. The MPCA considered asking the Minnesota Supreme
Court to review that decision but decided instead to issue a permit
for a smaller facility.
"Our urgent need is to stop burying raw garbage as soon as
possible," Chapdelaine said "Repeated delays have prolonged the
burial of 1,000 tons of garbage daily in Dakota County landfills. The
smaller facility will require unprecedented levels of recycling and
waste reduction. In the meantime, we will be able to stop burying our
trash."
The County's solid waste master plan, approved by the
Metropolitan Council, includes a combination of waste reduction,
recycling, composting, and waste -to -energy. "Recycling and
incineration are both necessary," Chapdelaine said. "Even with the
waste -to -energy facility, county residents will need to reduce and
recycle everything possible so that we don't need to expand the
facility."
Chapdelaine said the agreed-upon size is appropriate for the
level of waste being generated in Dakota County.
The County has a contract with ABB Resource Recovery Systems of
Windsor, Conn., to build and operate the facility. Officials estimate
the facility will be completed in late 1995.
Disposal fees paid by homeowners and businesses are not likely to
be much different than with continued landfilling, County officials
said. Preliminary estimates for construction costs are about $85
million. The facilitywillbe paid for with revenue bonds, which are
repaid with fees charged haulers to dispose of garbage and by the sale
of electricity produced. The facility will generate enough electricity
for 15,000 to 17,000 homes.
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News elease
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55155 Printed 'on Recycled Paper
For Release: September 23, 1992 Contact: Susan Brustman (612) 296-7769
The Minnesota PollutioControl Agency (MPCA) announced today that the state and Dakota
Co. have resolved their dispute oncerning the Dakota Co. incinerator by agreeing to a reduced -size
incinerator for the county.
"After Dakota Co. won'ts appeal and the court directed the MPCA to issue a permit for the
incinerator, we were ready to a�peal to the Supreme Court," said MPCA Commissioner Charles
Williams: "Then we worked out this settlement that satisfies many of our objections to the original
proposal. I feel that while this settlement may not satisfy the extremes at either end of the issue, it is a
balanced settlement that is fundamentally a win for all sides, and the Appeals Court decision doesn't
impair the MPCA's authority to act on future cases."
The MPCA said that Dakota Co. permit has been amended to reflect the downsizing of the
proposed incinerator. The actual capacity and annual amount of waste allowed to be burned have been
reduced by 25 percent. The same type of incinerator and control technologies that would have been
required for the original facility have been included, but reduced in size. Emissions will be less than for
the larger incinerator because of the reduced size of the facility. The height of the stacks and other
details of the stacks will remain equivalent while less waste will be burned.
The Appeals Court orde
24, the MPCA, through Commi
If no other party appeals the Al
construction 30 days after the 1\
d the MPCA to issue the disputed permit to Dakota Co. On September
ioner Williams, will approve issuing the permit for the smaller facility.
;als Court decision to the Supreme Court, Dakota Co. may begin
approves the permit.
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7NURSnQY/September 24/1992�`f'If}`� 'r.: r' �' N <Ej W: -S ,P %.A" P. E R OF THE T W I' N C I T I E' S
Pack reached for smasler incinerator
in Dakota County; apeals planned
By Dennis Cassano
and Bob Von Sternberg
Staff Writers
The Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency and the Dakota County
Board agreed Wednesday to a settle-
ment that would permit a scaled-
down version of a trash incinerator
that would produce electricity,
The settlement will pit the county
and state against environmental
r groups that oppose the construction
of any plant. They hope their own
appeals to the Minnesota Supreme
Court will eventually derail Dakota
County's plans.
The MPCA refused in November to
issue a permit for the plant, a• deci-
sion the County Board appealed to
the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Tile
court overruled the MPCA in Au-
gust, calling the decision a political
action that violated procedures and
exceeded the agency's authority.
Attorneys for the county, the MPCA
and ABB Resource Recovery Sys-
tcros Inc., which would build and
operate the plant, have been ncgotiat-
ing since the decision was issued.
The MPCA board approved the
terms of, the settlement after closed
meetings that ended Tuesday. The
County Board approved the terms
last night by a 4-1 voter
Incinerator continued on page 19A
Star Tribune- Thursday/Septernbcr
oncinorator/ Appeal is
expected to be filed today
Continued from page IA
f' 4
"It's wsellout, pure and simple," laic
LAIie.'.. Davis of Earth Protector, <
Minneapolis-based environmenta
group, "They're going to say a small-
erburner will be good for everyone;
but they're going to look outrageous-
ly :stupid
utrageous-
ly:stupid when the Supreme Cour
,
rules."
Davis' organization planned to file
its`: appeal with the Minnesota Su-
preme Court today, the deadline for
acting. Earlier this week, two other
groups said they will ask the court to
review the decision. Those groups,
Clean Water Action and Dakota
County Citizens for Alternatives to
i Burning, also were among the harsh -
i esft—critics of the planned incinerator.
The state and county agencies will
t oppose the request for a Supreme
Cdurt review of the case.
"1 rfeel that while this settlement may
;:ot satisfy the extremes at either end
i of : the issue, it is a balanced settle-
ment that is fundamentally a win for
.:ll sides," said MPCA Commissioner
Charles Williams. "And the Appeals
`ourt decision doesn't impair the
NIPCA's authority to act on future
cases_"
The county had planned to build a
plant that could incinerate 800 tons
of;trash a day. In exchange for the
MPCA's agreement not to appeal, the
county agreed to build a plant with a
capacity of 600 tons a day. Including
shutdowns for maintenance and re-
pairs, the original plant would have
averaged 640 tons per day; the new
one would have an annual average
capacity of 510 tons per day.
The smaller plant would produce 17
megawatts of electricity instead of 21
megawatts, enough for 17,000 homes.
The original plant was to cost about
S 12a million- the smaller one would
cost $35 million to $40 million less,
said. Louis Breimhurst, county plan-
ni(ig director.
He said the smaller plant would han-
dl-the county's disposal needs for
10 -years instead of 20 years. If the
county needs more incinerator capac-
it)r in 10 years, he said, it will ask
Z MPCA for a permit to expand the
Plant. He said that the settlement
does not address the question of
expansion and that the plant will be
designed so that it can be easily ex-
panded.
If 6onstruction started in the spring,
the plant might be operating in 1996,
he said.
Breimhurst and County Administra-
tor,Brandt Richardson said that if
recycling rates. do rot change, the
plant will be at capacity by 2005 -
Dakota County residents recycle
about one-third of all waste_ Resi-
dents would have to increase recy-
clipg to 50 percent of all waste to
make the smaller plant last 20 years,
they said.
r-
Th Metropolitan Council had decid-
ed:ihat the larger plant was not need-
ed'to handle only the waste generated
by Dakota County, Breimhurst said.
But, in approving the plant, it had
ordered the county to incinerate
waste materials from other counties
as -.well. The smaller plant will be
large enough to handle Dakota Coun-
I V . waste and a small amount from
other counties, Breimhurst said.
Although opponents said their attor-
neys had been told last week that the
` P.CA board planned to forgo an
appeal, they hadn't been able to
sgifeeze any details out of the agency
_orf its itizen board. "We've really
:an vn the dark side of the moon on
this, -with no information flowing out
of the MPCA," said Frank Hornstein
of Clean Water Action.
Until;'Iast night's County Board
meeting, MPCA officials declined to
comment on the proposed settle-
ment--'. The agency's board met in
closed -door session for most of the
afternoon Tuesday to discuss the set-
tlement, but took no formal action
after. the meeting.
4 .l
BreiThurst said the MPCA board
did not have to meet in public to
approve the settlement terms. He
said that agency Commissioner Wil-
liams`; has the authority to issue a
rx
ea
permit for a smaller facility than the
one approved by the board and that
the board's formal approval was not
required.
The board apparently did approve in
its private meetings, however, be-
cause its chairman, Dr. Daniel Foley,
signed the settlement agreement
Tuesday.
By doing so, the board is letting stand
the Appeals Court's criticism that the
board tried to overstep its authority
by subverting the authority of the
.Metropolitan Council to decide what
waste management facilities are
needed in the metropolitan area.
The environmental groups plan to
ask the Supreme -Court either to up-
hold the MPCA's right to deny Dako-
ta County the permit it needs to
operate the burner, or to order the
agency to hold formal :^.carings on
the plan. The agency had chosen
earlier not to do that.
"This is just the latest proof that the
aeencv's fob is to issue permits," Da-
vis said. "They've lost a lot of ground
with the public already, and nobody
thinks they're there to protect the
environment."
Staff writer Suzanne Kelly contribut-
ed to this report.
SAINI.VAI 11.1'ur�r.r.r
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S - -NQBER 1992
THURSDAY
h ,
, a
antssize
Da
f ®tnty cu
nf la inuines ato
y .
;aid.`Dakota County spokeswoman Marie permit for the incinerator, but the AiPCA
Coufu;A'bul this :was the last major hur- was reportedly considering taking the
dle''Barring`>,further complications, she matter to the state Supreme Court for a
ed those
said;o�i struction'ould likely start in a plans innal lreu rnrfor the smallerpoperation.
few rXio6ths t.`'
Da0bt�, County_. had been planning to The incinerator is scheduled to be com-
build-an?.800fon-per-day operation, but pleted by the end of 1995.
optedpr:the'lsmaller facility to get the Before it can start construction, how-
long-delayed;project back on track, offi- ever, the county must wait out a manda-
cials saidafter the meeting. tory 30 -day delay after the permit is
The agreement apparently also averts issued, and renegotiate a contract with_
at least one other court battle over the ABB Resource Recovery Systems, the
" Connecticut firm planning to build and
plant.
The state` ,Court of Appeals in August
overturned al previous MPCA denial of a
1, 1,
1'_ PAGES
TIM NELSON STAFF WRITER
®akota County has scaled back by
about a quarter plans for a solid waste
incinerator after reaching an agreement
with the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency on a --permit for the proposed
plant.
The county board of commissioners
voted 4-1 Wednesday night to approve
the compromise, which calls for the
MPCA to. permit an incinerator that will
burn lip to::60Q.Jons of waste a day.
"We -'still have some legal hoops left,"
Bu NNEW,-,
V CONTINUEDFROM ID
operate the $85 million incinera-
tor.
Also ahe d-rnay be a further
appeal of t e August ruling to the
Supreme Court by at least two
citizens groups opposed to an in-
cinerator Of any size. The Clean
Water Actin Alliance and Dakota
County Citizens for Alternatives to
Burning sa d earlier this week that
they will carry on the court battle
where the MPCA left off.
Another group, Earth: Protec-
tors, said they were also consider -
i ig'joining the effort.
Dakota County Board Chairman
Don Chap elaine said he would
like to see the burner up and run-
ning quick y.
"Our u gent need is to stop
burying raw garbage as soon as
possible," Chapdelaine said in a
prepared statement after the
meeting. "Repeated delays have
prolonged the burial of 1,000 tons
of garbage daily in Dakota County
landfills."
Not all of that waste can lie
diverted to the incinerator agreed
to Wednesday, however. County
officials said the compromise
means that 90 percent of Dakota
County residents will have to turn
in 90 percent of their recyclable
materials to cut the amount of
solid waste to what the burner can
handle.
"The. smaller facility will re-
quire unprecedented levels of re-
cycling and waste reduction,"
Chapdelaine said. "County resi-
dents will have to recycle every-
thing possible so that we don't
have to expand the facility."
BURNER CONTINUED ON 3D 11-
MINN
STATE OF MINNESOTA
'A POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY
In the Matter of the Application
for Combined Air and Solid Waste
Permit No. 2211 -91 -OT -1 for the
Dakota County Mixed Municipal
Solid Waste Incinerator
SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT
WHEREAS, on November 26, 1991, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA) issued an order denying the permit application of Dakota County and ABB
Resource Recovery Syst ms, Combustion Engineering, Inc. (ABB) for a mixed
municipal solid waste incinerator;
WHEREAS, on December 30, 1991 and January 2, 1992, Dakota County and ABB
appealed the decision oft e MPCA to the Minnesota Court of Appeals;
WHEREAS, on August 25, 1992, the Court of Appeals, in Appellate Court Case
Numbers C8-92-9 and C7-91-2551, reversed the decision of the MPCA, remanded this
matter to the MPCA and ordered issuance of the permit without further proceedings;
WHEREAS, the MPCA had before it on November 26, 1991, a proposed permit for
the incinerator, had responded to and resolved all public comments on the proposed
permit, had heard the ora comments of all persons interested in appearing before it,
and on or by November 2E, 1991, had denied all requests for a contested case hearing;
WHEREAS, the MP A has until September 24, 1992 to petition the Minnesota
Supreme Court for review Of the decision of the Court of Appeals;
WHEREAS, the entry of the judgment of the Court*of Appeals will be stayed if the
MPCA petitions the Minnesota Supreme Court for review of the decision of the Court of
Appeals;
WHEREAS, at its September 14, 1992 closed special meeting, the MPCA fully
considered the Court of Appeals' decision and the options to appeal or to issue the
proposed permit, and authorized the MPCA Commissioner to determine if a settlement
option to reduce the size of the proposed incinerator might be possible, and authorized
the MPCA Chair and the MPCA Commissioner, if such a settlement could be reached,
to execute a settlement agreement to that effect;
WHEREAS, at its September 14, 1992 closed special meeting, the MPCA
recognized that, in light of the Court of Appeals' order to issue the permit without
further proceedings, the MPCA Commissioner could, upon reaching such a settlement,
issue a modified permit for a down -sized incinerator pursuant to existing delegations,
which include Minn. Rules pt. 7001.0190, subp. 3(A),(C)(1991) and the October 22,
1991 delegation of authority from the MPCA to the MPCA Commissioner;
WHEREAS, Minn. Rules pt. 7001.0190, subp.3(A),(C)(1991) allows the MPCA
Commissioner, upon the consent of the permittee and without following the procedures
of Minn. Rules pts. 7001.0100 to 7001.0130 (1991), to modify a permit to correct
typographical errors and to:
change a provision in the permit that will not result in allowing
an actual or potential increase in the emission or discharge of
a pollutant into the environment, or that will not result in a
reduction of the agency's ability to monitor the permittee's
compliance with applicable statutes and rules;
WHEREAS, after considering the settlement proposal, Dakota County and ABB
agree to accept a permit for a nominal 800 ton per day incinerator and consent to the
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immediate modification of t
proposed incinerator to
permit to reduce the nominal incineration capacity of the
tons per day, which would reduce the estimated annual
average throughput of the Proposed incinerator from 640 tons per day to 510 tons per
day;
WHEREAS, a reduction in the capacity of the proposed incinerator will not change
the permit emission limitations, but will reduce the total emissions from the proposed
incinerator into the envi
solid waste, and will mai
utilizing equivalent stack
WHEREAS, this SE
vested in the MPCA and
Minnesota by Minn. Stat.
WHEREAS, the M
of Minnesota, Dakota Cour
good faith to avoid expens
this action.
NOW THEREFORE,
the State of Minnesota, D
1. The MPCA Co
existing delegated auth
September 24, 1992, of
mixed municipal solid
by incinerating a reduced amount of mixed municipal
the equivalent emission dispersion characteristics by
ght and stack parameters;
lent Agreement is entered into pursuant to the authority
Attorney General on behalf of the MPCA and the State of
s. 8, 115, 116 (1990); and
, the Attorney General on behalf of the MPCA and the State
ty and ABB have entered into this Settlement Agreement in
to and protracted litigation and to settle the claims raised in
MPCA, the Attorney General on behalf of the MPCA and
)ta County and ABB agree as follows:
imissioner, pursuant to the Court of Appeals' order and
shall approve issuance to Dakota County and ABB on
attached permit for a nominal 800 ton per day capacity
incinerator (Attachment 1).
2. The MPCA COmissioner, acting through existing delegated authority and
Minn. Rules pt. 7001.0190, subp. 3(A), (C)(1991), shall then immediately approve
-3-
issuance to Dakota County and ABB on September 24, 1992, of the attached Modified
Permit (Attachment 2) for the construction and operation of a nominal 600 ton per day
capacity mixed municipal solid waste incinerator. The Modified Permit will wholly
supersede and modify the permit issued under Paragraph 1 of this Settlement
Agreement. The Modified Permit incorporates the following changes from the permit
for the nominal 800 ton per day facility:
a. Parts 1.1 and 2.3.6.1 have been amended to reflect the downsizing
of the proposed incinerator. In Part 1.1, the nominal capacity of
each incinerator unit is now 300 tons per day, rather than 400. Also
in Part 1.1, the average annual throughput of each incinerator unit is
now 255 tons per day, rather than 320. In Part 2.3.6.1, Fuel
Limitations, the annual amount of mixed municipal solid waste
allowed to be burned is now 219,000 tons, rather than 292,000 tons.
Also in Part 2.3.6.1, annual incineration capacity of each incinerator
unit is now 126,000 tons, rather than 168,000 tons. The allowable
amount of natural gas will be adjusted to reflect the downsizing of
the equipment.
b. Parts 1.2, 3.2.5.1, and 5.2 require the same type of incinerator and
control technologies that would have been required for the larger
incinerator, but have been amended to reflect the need to change
the size of the equipment to fit the smaller incinerator facility. These
amendments also require that the stack height and other stack
parameters of the smaller incinerator must be equivalent in emission
dispersion characteristics to those of the larger incinerator. This
IQ
maintains the equivalent air emission dispersion characteristics
already analyzed for the larger incinerator. Since the incinerator will
now be smaller, and therefore incinerate less waste, the emission
rates will be less than those analyzed for the larger incinerator.
C. Parts 2.3.11.2 and 4.3.2 have been amended to add a required
removal) efficiency for sulfur dioxide from the incinerator stack. This
requirement does not change the emission limit for sulfur dioxide for
the inci erator. This change was required by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency in its review of the permit in
November of 1991, and would have been added to the permit had a
permit been issued at that time.
d. Part 2.2 .7 has been amended to correct a typographical error in the
permit by replacing minerals with Minn. Rules.
e. Part 4.1 Test No. B.2 has been amended to correct a typographical
error in the permit by relocating the number 1 under the column
PoIIuta nts,, to its intended place under 'the column
,,Frequency/Emission Point.,,
f. Exhibit H5, section II.A.12 has been amended to more precisely
identify the physical location of the testing port, which is to be
located at the breeching between the baghouse outlet and the stack.
3. Dakota County and ABB agree to accept, consent to, and not challenge in
any way the Modified Permit described in Paragraph 2 of this Settlement Agreement.
Dakota County and ABB also agree not to challenge in any way the modification and
replacement of the permit escribed in Paragraph 1 of this Settlement Agreement.
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4. Dakota County, ABB, the MPCA and the Attorney General on behalf of the
MPCA and the State of Minnesota agree to defend, in any legal challenge, including an
appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court, this Settlement Agreement and issuance of
the Modified Permit as a reasonable compromise within the authorities of the MPCA.
5. The Attorney General, acting on behalf of the MPCA and the State of
Minnesota, agrees not to petition the Minnesota Supreme Court for review of the
decision of the Court of Appeals. If any parry to this appeal other than the MPCA and
the State of Minnesota petitions the Minnesota Supreme Court for review of the
decision of the Court of Appeals, the Attorney General on behalf of the MPCA and the
State of Minnesota shall file a timely response opposing Minnesota Supreme Court
review on the basis that this Settlement Agreement is a reasonable compromise within
the authorities of the MPCA and that the Court of Appeals decision does not impair the
authority of the MPCA to protect the environment. If the Minnesota Supreme Court
decides to review the decision of the Court of Appeals, the Attorney General on behalf
of the MPCA and the State of Minnesota reserves the right to participate as a
respondent or amicus, but will limit its argument to issues concerning MPCA authority
to protect the environment, that the Court of Appeals decision does not impair the
authority of the MPCA to protect the environment, and that Dakota County, ABB and
the MPCA have reached a reasonable compromise within the authorities of the MPCA.
The MPCA and the Attorney General on behalf of the MPCA and the State of Minnesota
will not oppose any requests by Dakota County or ABB for any bond requested of
parties who appeal this matter to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
6. The Modified Permit issued pursuant to Paragraph 2 shall be effective 30
days after the entry of the judgment in Appellate Court Case Nos. C8-92-9 and C7-91-
02
2551 if no party petitions the Minnesota Supreme Court for review, or if the Minnesota
Supreme Court denies all petitions for review. If the Minnesota Supreme Court decides
to review the Court of Appeals order, the parties to this Settlement Agreement agree to
amend the issuance date of the Modified Permit to the date the Clerk of Appellate
Courts enters a judgment affirming the Court of Appeals' order to issue a permit. If the
Minnesota Supreme Cou reverses the order of the Court of Appeals to issue the
permit,
this Settlement Agreement
terminates
upon the date the
Clerk
of Appellate
Courts
enters a judgment
reversing the Court
of Appeals' order,
and
the Modified
Permit issued pursuant to the terms of this Settlement Agreement is thereby revoked.
Dakota County and ABB agree to'not challenge in any way a revocation of the Modified
Permit under these circumstances.
7.
This Settleme
t Agreement
is effective
upon execution by all of the
following:
the MPCA Commissioner
and
MPCA Chair,
Dakota County, ABB Resource
Recovery Systems, Combustion Engineering, Inc. and the Attorney General or his
designee.
8. Dakota County and ABB reserve the right to oppose an appeal of the Court
of Appeals' order or any other legal action to impair Dakota County's and ABB's
interests in a permit for the Dakota County incinerator.
9. The MPCA an the Attorney General acting on behalf of the MPCA and the
State of Minnesota reserve the right to: a) enforce the terms and conditions of the
Modified Permit under any administrative, legal and equitable remedies available to the
State; b) exercise its emer ency powers pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 116.11 (1990) in the
event that conditions warr nting such emergency action shall arise; and c) require the
permittee to undertake act
to achieve compliance with the terms and conditions of
-7-
the Modified Permit. and any applicable federal or state statutes. rules. sLandards.
orders, stipulation agreements, and schedules of compliance. Dakota Countv a.nd ABE
retain the right to defend in accordance with applicable law against any sucn ac:,--�-. U
the MPCA or the Attorney General acting on behalf of the MPCA and the State cf
Minnesota.
10. Each party to this Settlement Agreement agrees to bear its own costs and
attorney fees in all proceedings before the MPCA in this matter up to the date of this
Settlement Agreement and in this appeal before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and
the Minnesota Supreme Court.
11. This Settlement Agreement terminates upon the expiration of the five year
term of the Modified Permit.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this agreement.
For the State of Minnesota:
/-zZ/ Z
Da:..
— ?h'q-'k&
Dat:.
DR. DANIEL FOLEY %
Chair
Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency
520 Lafayette d
St. P- N 5 55
ii
'y
CHARLES W. WILLI
Commissioner
Minnesota Pollution,
Control Agency
520 Lafavette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
Date
For Dakota County:
Date
Date
ELDON G. KAUL
Assistant Attorney General
520 Lafayette Road
Suite 200
St. Paul, MN 55155
DONALD CHAPDELAINE
Chair
Dakota County Board of
Commissioners
Dakota County Administrative
Center
1550 West Highway 55
Hastings, MN 55033
JAMES C. BACKSTROM
Dakota County Attorney
Dakota County
Judicial Center
1560 West Highway 55
Hastings, MN 55033
For ABB Resource Recovery Systems, Combustion Engineering, Inc.:
Date
Date
THOMAS J. KEHOE
Associate General Counsel
ABB Resource Recovery
Systems, Combustion
Engineering, Inc.
7 Waterside Crossing
Windsor, CT 06095
MA14Y R cCONNELL
Lindquist & Vennum
4200 IDS Center
Minneapolis, MN 55402
MINNESOTA
Olmsted
Build Ash
11
Receives MPCA Permit To
The Citizens Board of the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency (MPCA) has approved a permit modification which will
allow Olmsted County, to construct an ash -disposal cell at its land-
fill. The 6.7 acre cell at the Olmsted -Kalmar Landfill will be used
for the disposal of ash from the Olmsted County incinerator as
well as coal ash from the Rochester Public Utilities power plant
and medical waste ash from the Mayo Clinic incinerator. The per-
mit will allow the county to dispose of 370,000 cubic yards of ash
at the landfill, which is an estimated 10 years of operating capacity.
In April, the MPCA Citizens Board approved the agency's environmental assessment of
the ash cell area. The board concluded that with proper environmental safeguards and
maintenance,the landfill would not pose a threat to the environment or public health.
According to M CA reports,, Olmsted County's ash landfill design incorporates the
most stringent bottorr liner system of any landfill currently operating in Minnesota, as
required under the al ency's new statewide ash -disposal rules approved earlier this year.
Under the ash dispos d area, a double -composite liner will be constructed, which will
consist of two -and -a- alf feet of compacted clay with a 60 -millimeter synthetic liner over
the clay, plus anothe two feet of clay covered by another 60 -millimeter synthetic liner.
Incorporated into the liner system will be a leak -detection network. Any leachate from
the landfill will be pumped into tanker trucks and hauled to Rochester's municipal waste-
water treatment plant for treatment and disposal.
Olmsted County will be removing ash from the Dodge/Olmsted ash landfill in
Kasson to the new ash landfill this fall. The ash has been stored at the Dodge County site
since Olmsted County's garbage incinerator began operation in 1987. According to
Olmsted officials, the county decided to close the Dodge ash facility due to new incinera-
torsdisposal rules and economic concerns over the capping and long-term maintenance of
the facility. The ash from the Dodge County site will be needed to cover the Olmsted -
Kalmar ash landfill's liner to protect it from freezing this winter. ■