The Best for Marion County – SB 451


Many of you know I have been serving as a Marion County Commissioner for nearly 5 years.  Prior to being your Commissioner, I served in the Oregon State Legislature for 9 and half years.

I have been spending many hours back at the Oregon State Capitol, testifying on several pieces of legislation that will impact you, Marion County citizens in both positive and negative ways.  Senate Bill 451 with the -1 amendments, if passed will be a win for you, however if not passed it will have a deep financial impact on our county’s leading solid waste management system.  A solid waste management system that is the best in the state of Oregon, if not the country.

Earlier this week I testified in support of SB 451.  My testimony is below.  After reading my testimony if you have questions, please contact our office at Marion County.  If you feel even more motivated, please contact your legislators and let them know how important Senate Bill 451 is to our county.

A short 4 months ago we were not even thinking there was an issue with the renewable electricity being produced from our waste, but today that is in jeopardy.  Thank you for taking action on behalf of Marion County to protect local jobs, renewable energy, and continue a history of safe sustainable solid waste.

 

 

 

 

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 Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron

Testimony in support of SB 451    

May 13, 2019

 

 

For more than 30 years, Marion County and Covanta have been in partnership to provide solid waste management, recovery and recycling services to the more than 350,000 residents of Marion County.

The Covanta Energy-from-Waste facility in Brooks has been a key component of Marion County’s overall waste reduction and recycling strategies.

Not only does the Covanta partnership allow Marion County to achieve one of the highest recovery rates in Oregon, but electricity generated from the energy-from-waste facility powers 9,000 homes.

Revenues received from the energy produced at the Marion County facility helps support the county’s recycling efforts. In addition to the curbside mixed recycling roll cart, the county maintains value added programs such as the Master Recycler and EarthWISE programs which help residents and businesses implement environmentally friendly practices.

Marion County provides convenient curbside recycling for mixed organics, household batteries, paint, used motor oil, antifreeze, and cooking oil – items which are not being recycled curbside in many other communities.

All of this has been possible because of our partnership with Covanta.

Just a few short years ago, Oregon legislators deemed energy-from-waste a renewable energy, as part of the Renewable Portfolio Standards.

It is critical that the legislature pass SB 451, which is considered at technical fix bill that clarifies that Covanta can sell Renewable Energy Credits it has accrued and future credits.

If this legislation does not pass, there is a very real chance the Covanta / Marion County partnership will end.

What does this mean?

  • Higher garbage rates with fewer recycling options for county businesses and residents, although we will work hard to soften the financial impact to our residents.
  • No close location where county medical waste from our local hospitals and clinics can be incinerated.
  • The loss of 33 living wage, union jobs at the Covanta facility.
  • No longer the revenues we’ve had in the past to have an award-winning recycling and waste reduction program.

This also means that Marion County will have to dramatically modify its solid waste management system. Those impacts include:

  • The temporary hauling of municipal solid waste to Coffin Butte in Benton County – 140 trucks per day over West Salem bridge, rearranging business and residential truck routes/schedules for garbage pickup.
  • The need to design and construct a multi-million dollar mega transfer facility to reload all county municipal solid waste to truck to the Arlington, Oregon or Washington landfill – design and construction estimated cost is $15 million.

And worse, the environment impact if Covanta goes away:

  • 500+ tons of waste added to landfills daily.
  • 9,800+ additional semi-truck loads on 1-5, I-84 each year (27 trucks per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year).
  • No longer generating power for 9,000 homes.
  • No longer recovering 8,000 tons of ferrous metal annually – the equivalent of 6,500 cars.

We do not want to face these unnecessary outcomes. We ask that you support and pass SB 451.

 

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Marion County Impact Information

SUPPORT SB 451

May 10, 2019

 

Marion County, the host county for the energy-from-waste (EfW) facility, already achieves one of the highest recovery rates in Oregon. Marion County remains a state, and national, leader in waste reduction and recycling. In addition to the curbside mixed recycling roll cart, the county maintains value added programs such as the Master Recycler and EarthWISE programs which help residents and businesses implement environmentally friendly practices. Marion County provides convenient curbside recycling for mixed organics, household batteries, paint, used motor oil, antifreeze, and cooking oil – items which cannot be recycled curbside in many other communities. Revenues received from the energy produced at the Marion County facility help support the county’s recycling efforts. This revenue is especially important given the pressures imposed on the recycling markets by China’s actions to reduce inbound contamination and certain recycling streams.

Impacts to Marion County without SB 451

Financial Impacts:

  • Higher garbage rates with fewer recycling options. Business and residential garbage service rates would increase a minimum of 30%. Marion County Commissioners would work diligently to find ways to soften the financial impact to our residents by possible elimination of waste reduction and recycling programs (see attached reduction/recycling program list).
  • In county medical waste from our local hospitals and clinics currently receive a subsidized rate of disposal at $87.45 per ton. This disposal rate would increase to more than $500 per ton.
  • Statewide, law enforcement entities utilize the EfW facility for destruction of evidence, weapons, and drugs, which would no longer be available.
  • The estimated contractual obligation to Covanta is estimated to be millions of dollars, as the REC’s are bundled into the overall energy price. This directly impacts Marion County, because electrical revenue helps offset solid waste system costs.
  • Lost family wage jobs – 33 living wage jobs with health care and retirement benefits.

Short Term Impacts:

  • Temporary hauling of municipal solid waste (MSW) to Coffin Butte in Benton County – 140 trucks per day over West Salem bridge, rearranging business and residential truck routes/schedules for garbage pickup.

Long Term Impacts:

  • Design and construction of a mega transfer facility to reload all county MSW to truck to Arlington, Oregon or Washington landfill – design and construction estimated cost is $15 million.

Environmental Impacts:

  • 500+ tons of waste added to landfills daily.
  • 9,800+ additional semi-truck loads on 1-5, I-84 each year (27 trucks per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year).
  • No longer generating power for 9,000 homes.
  • No longer recovering 8,000 tons of ferrous metal annually – the equivalent of 6,500 cars.

 

Waste Reduction and Recycling Programs
for Citizens and Businesses

April 2019

Some of the programs that Marion County sponsors through the solid waste fund include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Expanded curbside collection opportunities for non-traditional recyclables such as latex paint, household batteries, motor oil, antifreeze, and cooking oil.
  • Household hazardous waste permanent collection facility open 75 days a year in Salem.
  • Styrofoam drop-off location for recycling. Free for residents and businesses are charged a nominal fee.
  • Yard debris collection from annual “City Cleanups” (such as the Salem Fall Leaf Haul) for composting at Browns Island at no cost to the jurisdiction.
  • Festival and large event recycling assistance by providing bins and advice (e.g., Salem Art Fair, County Fair, Relay for Life, Earth Day, etc.), including sponsorship of the Earth Day Fair at the Oregon Garden and Marion County Fair.
  • Cost subsidized home composter bins for sale year-round at the Fresh Start Market.
  • Two Home Composting Demonstration sites, at the Oregon Garden in Silverton and at the Oregon State University Extension Program’s Master Gardener Garden in Salem.
  • A Master Recycler training class three times a year. This 7-week class educates citizens in matters related to solid waste management in Marion County, who in turn provides volunteer service hours to pay back the County. To date, these community volunteers have surpassed 11,600 hours.
  • An annual county-wide Earth Day event at the Oregon Garden that promotes waste reduction, composting, reuse, and recycling with free admission.
  • The annual Student Art Calendar contest highlights waste reduction illustrations. Winning students receive prizes for their selected artwork and the calendar is distributed free of charge in the community.
  • A county-wide distributed 8-page tabloid is mailed to each resident each year. The Waste Matters tabloid contains information about various waste reduction and recycling programs currently going on in the County.
  • Significant education, promotion, and outreach media campaigns on television, radio, social media, and in print to educate the public about ongoing and upcoming waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and disposal options.
  • Waste Matters on the Air radio show twice a month on KMUZ to promote waste reduction.  To date there have been 115 episodes.
  • The Green School Summit as well as assist schools in getting certified in the Oregon Green School program. The County provides classroom lessons, fieldtrips, technical support, and other materials to help schools save resources.
  • An extensive online and mobile-friendly waste reduction, reuse, and recycling guide.
  • EarthWISE program that provides free resource efficiency evaluations for businesses and certifies businesses that meet certain criteria (139 currently certified businesses).
  • Sponsored the annual Salem Environmental Education Green Awards to recognize businesses and individuals for exemplary waste reduction efforts and sustainable practices.
  • Lower tip-fee for medical waste generated within Marion County (same rate as regular garbage), than for out-of-county customers (out of county customers pay 3 times more).
  • Discounted solid waste collection rate for in county licensed contractors at both the Salem-Keizer and North Marion transfer stations.
  • A food waste collection program for over 40 schools within the Salem-Keizer School District. We provide coordination assistance and materials.
  • Repair Fair & Share events where the community brings household items to be repaired and learns how to make future repairs to promote waste reduction.
  • Free community swaps that promote waste reduction and reuse.

 

Contact Information:

Barb Young, Government Relations Manager, Marion County, Oregon – 503-589-3263

Brian May, Public Works – Environmental Services – 503-365-3147