PUD checking on solid waste

Wahkiakum PUD commissioners discussed a proposed project to bring treated solid waste to western Wahkiakum County and other topics at their meeting on March 2.

Commissioner Esther Gregg reported that a recent legal notice published in the Wahkiakum County Eagle on February 18 had generated calls to her home from concerned residents. Evergreen Septic of Long Beach has submitted a proposal to the Department of Ecology to dump treated solid waste at a site along Covered Bridge Road in Grays River. People had expressed concerns to Gregg about potential harmful impacts to the Western Wahkiakum Water System wells and a local organic farm which are both located upstream of the proposed dump site but could potentially be affected during times of flooding.

Gregg said she thought local residents might request a hearing. A copy of the plan is on file with the county, but comments should be directed to the Department of Ecology. The deadline for comments is March 22.

The board asked PUD attorney Tim Hanigan to comment on the legal ramifications of the project. Hanigan reported he had done a cursory examination of the document and noted that dumping would only be permitted during the summer months. He suggested that the PUD’s engineering firm might take a look at it.

Gregg said, “I think it’s only prudent for us to check into it as much as possible, because we sure don’t want to do anything to harm that water system.”

Manager Dave Tramblie asked that the board clarify that it wants the engineering firm to check out the ramifications of the project and the board affirmed the motion.

Tramblie reported a memo of understanding regarding the Packwood Dam has been signed and sent out. The memo formalizes decisions make during a previous PUD commissioners’ meeting to sell the Wahkiakum PUD’s one percent share of output to the Clallam PUD for a number of years.

Tramblie detailed that the annual lift truck inspection has been completed and that a conductor for the Puget Island bridge project was been ordered. He will engage the PUD’s electrical engineering firm to prepare designs for an overhead line Jacobsen Road project.

Commissioner Bob Jungers commented that Longview Fibre Company has applied for a permit to build a wood biomass burning power generation plant. Fibre’s construction timeline would have the plant in operation within two years. Jungers said he believed the plant would meet I-937 compliance standards

The initiative, passed by Washington voters in 2006, requires large utility companies to obtain 15 percent of their electricity from renewable resources (excluding hydropower) by 2020.

Tramblie suggested holding a rate workshop in the near future as a precursor to the board’s promise to review rates at midyear. The board scheduled the workshop for their April 20th meeting.