LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors reversed a decision it made at the end of October and now will allow debris from the Redwood fire to be taken to the Eastlake Landfill in Clearlake.
The board initially discussed the matter at a special Oct. 31 meeting in response to a request from ECC, the US Army Corps of Engineers’ debris removal contractor for Lake and Mendocino counties.
ECC had asked if the county would allow the debris to be taken to the Eastlake Landfill rather than having to truck it to the next closest available landfills, which are located in Vacaville and Suisun City, as Lake County News has reported.
The matter was brought back after board members last week asked for it to be discussed again.
Public Services Director Lars Ewing explained that the landfill is currently at 87-percent capacity, a number which covers the 2017 disposal projections, including the fire debris estimates for the Sulphur fire.
The remaining capacity is expected to last 13 years if there are no other disasters, Ewing said. However, adding in unanticipated debris takes that number down to nine and a half years.
He said Mendocino County has an estimated 400 properties to be cleaned of fire debris. Ewing’s calculations put the Redwood fire debris at a total of 10 months of landfill capacity. That brings the landfill’s life expectancy down to eight and a half years, which puts the facility’s life out to 2026. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2024.
“We have about two years of wiggle room,” said Ewing, noting that his schedule doesn’t include assumptions of the county getting clearance from state agencies to accelerate the expansion project.
Ewing estimated that it will cost the county $67.62 a ton to handle the additional debris.
Board Chair Jeff Smith said the county needed to help collect a portion to benefit the city of Clearlake and road repairs necessary from the truck traffic to the landfill.
Ewing said that in talks with the city they have identified the impact of the landfill traffic on the city’s roads. Repairs will have to wait until the contract between the city and county to cover those repairs is rewritten, with the contract expected to expire in June.
In response to questions about the revenue potential, Ewing said that because the landfill isn’t a for-profit business it has to base its costs on estimates of how much it will take to manage the landfill.
“Lars is correct that it’s a revenue-neutral proposition,” said County Counsel Anita Grant.
Grant added that overhead expenses and other costs are things that the county can be reimbursed for in setting its tonnage charges.
Smith did a quick calculation and estimated that the county could take in more than $3 million for the Redwood fire debris.
Ewing said the funds that the extra debris would bring in would be revenue neutral, and offset operating costs.
Smith said he wanted it emphasized that the debris not be trucked over Highway 20 – and through the Northshore communities and along the lakeshore – but that it be taken to the landfill on Highway 29.
Lake County Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski supported accepting the debris.
“This decision is a chance to help someone else when so many others over the last two years gave so much help to us,” he said, adding that it’s important to never forget the human element. “If we can help someone else, it’s always a good thing.”
Supervisor Jim Steele moved to direct staff to develop an agreement with ECC, with the debris to be moved on an appropriate highway route and the agreement to cover the costs Ewing has forecast.
The board voted 4-1 – with Supervisor Tina Scott casting the lone no vote – to approve the motion.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Supervisors reverse course, decide to accept Redwood fire debris at Eastlake Landfill
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On