Peoria City County Landfill Com Observer Report

  Chairman Steve Morris called the regular monthly meeting of Peoria City County Landfill Committee to order on August 19, 2020, at 3 p.m. via Zoom or phone access, which was posted on the city Solid Waste Landfill Committee website ahead of the meeting. Member Zach Oyler was absent. No meeting had been held in July.  There were no public comments during the citizens opportunity to address the committee at the beginning of the meeting.
   A new business item was a request for discussion regarding the current state Pollution Control Board review of coal ash regulations and what that might mean to the landfill and if the committee might consider a comment letter.  WM said that coal ash should not be mixed with municipal solid waste as it interfe res with methane gas production and has other problems. Since the current WM landfill is filling its last area, any plans for coal ash would need to focus on the new Landfill #3. PDC agreed that coal ash needs to be in a monofill. Chairman Morris asked what would be a typical tonnage for coal ash from a power plant. Mr. Coulter commented that at other locations from ½ million to 2 million tons capacity were needed. Foth Engineering will look into this and have some figures for the next meeting. Committee member Williams asked for a refresher on coal ash and issues with it and that will also be planned. Foth did a screen share of a comment letter the Landfill Committee had done several years ago. Committee member Fox said he would consider the current situation similar to what the Committee did before and asked that this topic be on the agenda for the September Committee meeting.  
  

​The Foth Infrastructure and Environment, LLC, engineering report was presented by Josh Gabehart. One non-special waste approval was needed for sludge materials from the Midwest-Generation Powerton power plant and was approved. Four other pre-approved wastes were reported and Mr. Gabehart commented that changes Landfill Committee made last year to increase the pre-approval tonnages have made a positive difference in adding to landfill revenues. Two landfill gas flare shut-downs were reported related to storms and power outages, however equipment worked as designed and there were no gas releases to the environment.   Good weather has helped planned repair projects to proceed. Fifty-thousand gallons of landfill leachate were transported to off-site treatment for June and July and the solar sumps are doing their job with some minor repairs as needed. Total landfill waste received is down 1,735 tons compared to this point last year, however the comment was this is what is being seen at landfills across the country due to impacts from the pandemic. Foth is monitoring the tonnage and revenues but there are no recommendations for any budget or other changes at this point.  
  A two-year extension for a local resident was approved for hunting and fishing permission on a landfill parcel.
  There was a question about taxes on the parcel and the States Attorney will look into it.
  Bill Lewis, City of Peoria Public Works discussed landfill receipts for the last two months and July was slightly over $10,000 less than for June.
  The Waste Management (WM) operations report by Ian Johnson included that the random waste load checks found no problems.
  Chris Coulter gave the PDC report and an update on plans for wetlands and dam work at the landfill as part of mitigation needed ahead of construction beginning for the new Landfill #3. PDC has hired Hanson Professional Services engineering for the projects and will connect with Foth and others for Zoom and site meetings ahead. Mr. Coulter said they would like to present an informational program on the wetlands project and asked if a larger meeting area could be possible, such as the Gateway Building, for such a presentation.
  The meeting was adjourned about 3:40 p.m.                                      Joyce Blumenshine, Observer