PUD, DOE, public discuss biosolids

PUD commissioners and management discussed an ongoing permit application for a treated biosolid waste disposal site in Grays River and an upcoming repair project at their meeting Tuesday.

Manager Dave Tramblie shared that a malfunctioning valve on the Puget Island bridge water line would be replaced in upcoming weeks. The PUD will send letters and place advertising in the newspaper to notify Puget Island customers of their need to conserve water during the two-hour repair window, although the actual repair is likely only to take 15 minutes and cause little loss of water pressure on the island, said Tramblie.

Tramblie brought in a piece of pipe from the Covered Bridge area, which had a deformed gasket that had caused a water leak. Tramblie used it as an illustration that usage of the district’s leak detection equipment is paying off for water customers.

Commissioner Esther Gregg said she has received a number of phone calls from area residents with concerns about a Long Beach company’s permit application to spread treated human waste, called biosolids, on Philip and Sulema Zerr’s property near the Covered Bridge in Grays River.

Specifically, the residents expressed concerns that water contaminated by human waste would commingle with the well water that supplies the 315-customer Western Wahkiakum Water System during flood events.

Grays River landowner / Lower Columbia Economic Development Council (LCEDC) board member Carol Larsen and Delvin Fredrickson, representing the Grays River Habitat Enhancement District, attended to participate in the discussion with Department of Ecology (Ecology) Regional Biosolids Coordinator Kyle Dorsey. Also attending were Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow, who said he was in the role of a private citizen, and LCEDC director David Goodroe.

PUD board chair Bob Jungers welcomed Dorsey and clarified for the assembled group that the PUD board had invited Dorsey to the meeting specifically for the group to discuss possible impacts to the Western Wahkiakum Water System well.

Commissioner Larry Reese asked Dorsey if a 15 or 30-day extension could be added to the comment period ending next Monday to allow for further public response. Dorsey explained that the comment period would not be extended unless enough citizens and organizations requested a public hearing or public comment session, which would mandate a time window to schedule and advertise the session or hearing.

When asked to clarify the time frame during which the solids could be deposited, Dorsey said the specific dates would be determined later in the permitting process but that it was likely to be between mid May and mid September.

Dorsey stated that an employee of the business applying for the permit, Evergreen Septic of Long Beach, would be required to do the application rather than Zerr, the landowner.

Delvin Fredrickson inquired if the biosolid application would adversely impact the organic status of the dairy and farm located upstream from the site. Dorsey replied it would not.

The permit would specify the timing and amount of the application and would require periodic inspections, annual reporting and annual soil testing for residual nitrates, said Dorsey.

The screening process and lime added to the product would serve to reduce microorganisms and odor. Because the biosolid would be stabilized with lime, the permit would not require the landowner to till the site, said Dorsey.

Commissioner Gregg asked Dorsey if the site would be within a riparian zone. It was not within the required 200-foot buffer zone from the Grays River, said Dorsey. Gregg asked him to clarify if that was 200 feet during non-flood conditions, and he did.

Dorsey recommended sending comments and requests for public meetings or hearing by certified mail. He said, “I heard very clearly today that you want additional time and public comment.”

“Is it prudent to locate such a site in such close proximity to a public well head?” asked Jungers.

“Yes, I believe it is,” said Dorsey.

Tramblie asked Dorsey to clarify that he did not believe the proposed project was a threat to the water system, and Dorsey replied in the affirmative.

At their last meeting, the board authorized Manager Tramblie to engage the PUD’s engineering firm to review the biosolids application permit and to provide their opinion about whether possible adverse affects to the well might occur. Tramblie reported that the engineering firm had not yet sent him their response.

The board directed Tramblie and PUD attorney Tim Hanigan to send a request for a public meeting to Ecology if the engineering opinion outlined concerns about potential impacts to the well site.