08-19-2008 CCM - Laserfiche WebLink

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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES August 19, 2008 3 Report from Representative Julie Bunn and Senator Kathy Saltzman Representative Julie Bunn and Senator Kathy Saltzman recapped the 2008 legislative session by summarizing a variety of activity that was done during the sessions. They discussed in some detail the bonding bill for the Washington County landfill clean up and setting standards for citing landfills throughout the state. Representative Bunn explained that a portion of the landfill area could be used for park and the landfill may be covered with various prairie grasses. In addition, the PCA is exploring the use of gases to generate electricity on the site. Council Member DeLapp stated the council voted saying that it did not want the “dig and line” process put into effect instead the council asked that the garbage either be trucked away or burned. Senator Saltzman explained the cost and timing of burning the garbage is unknown and trucking it away would cost three to four times more. There is no willing community that will accept the garbage. Information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) on the PCA decision and process for remediating the Washington County Landfill of PFC contamination. Shawn Ruotsinoja, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) official explained the process for “dig and line”, a process that will have the agency dig up the garbage in the landfill, line a section of the landfill, and replace the garbage. This process was approved during the 2008 legislative session. Jeff Lewis, manager of the MPCA landfill remediation division, stated that the decision on the remediation option for the Washington County landfill rested with the PCA. There is no appeal process in the decision that the MPCA has responsibility for cleaning the landfill and the chosen process will go forward. Peter Tiffany, senior engineer MPCA, described the three liners that will be used in the “dig and line” process making it the only landfill in the state that will have such a lining. Jim Blackford, 9765 45th Street, called for sanctions against 3M, which is one source of the contamination in the groundwater. He believes 3M should take more responsibility and be required to state when company officials knew about the contamination. Council Members DeLapp and Smith stated that this option is not a permanent solution to the contamination problem. Council Member Smith specifically asked about the protection provided by the three layers.