[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6163562,"mediaKeyId","5433917-11b6184268d1ad3ddd0a079374e825c4","parentId",5433917,"title","Depoe Bay explores facility plan, funding as Gleneden Beach pursues new outfall","audioSeconds",4389,"startMs",824000,"endMs",5213000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5433917-11b6184268d1ad3ddd0a079374e825c4&start=824&end=5213","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5433917-11b6184268d1ad3ddd0a079374e825c4/thumbnail_824000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6163562/Depoe-Bay/Lincoln-County/Oregon/Depoe-Bay-explores-facility-plan-funding-as-Gleneden-Beach-pursues-new-outfall","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163562-e9fbb510bebee1e84fb32f1a5b5b96f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169503&Signature=BCWojHR8H4R6cIlcOmcPtuX97n3jGJTnYgYAIvbvpUzoAxfut1QrWtpj-88CNabAE84fPd~HNcIV7BATkZGAmoqHAe6fA5iV5A24ww63beVghO3D0Iuy1QL~8RN18ZSm7F9l9341aW9XaDB8cC2HAyRBj3Ftg0276G6PXo7s6tuZ3uOVoeLyhbwQvkyKPuXL5t124Y4ao3VmXWFabbT9Jf-rS0~h~2D-AP9wL2xGX6uZDkk7TdPxh2UWECScG4wjqHbuxR0meBX1xi1wAeLIqQXaFp4BhDYW2ZOyC2tIvVPLUtglGBfyGYo6SIPZklBjIKOTH5ZlwZRxTyJ42eo0vQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council Depoe Bay, OR","date","2025-06-24T00:00:00Z","article","Depoe Bay councilors and DEQ staff reviewed the status of wastewater service after Gleneden Beach gave notice that it intends to discontinue service to Depoe Bay and pursue its own treatment options, possibly including an ocean outfall.

DEQ regional liaison Anna Cammarata and wastewater permitting manager Renee Amora told the council that Gleneden has completed an initial facility plan and moved away from a site in a state park after parks officials rejected that option; the town is now evaluating a site near the airport and the possibility of an ocean outfall. Cammarata said the rough capital estimate for a new plant and outfall is “somewhere between $35,000,000 and $40,000,000.”

Why it matters: a new outfall or a new treatment plant would require multi‑agency permits, large capital raises and years of design and construction work. DEQ officials said a more detailed facility plan and engineering design are the normal next steps for both Gleneden and Depoe Bay and that those plans are often required by funding agencies before low‑cost loans or grants are approved.

DEQ timeline, funding and permits

DEQ staff told the council that an ocean outfall requires federal and state permits—often coordinated among U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, State Parks, State Lands and DEQ—and that ecosystem studies and permitting alone typically take one to two years. Cammarata said full design and construction for a new plant commonly take multiple years and that, based on typical schedules, a new facility would be unlikely to be permitted and constructed in the five‑year window referenced in the termination notice.

Renee Amora described the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (a low‑cost loan program DEQ manages) and other financing sources DEQ helps applicants navigate. She and Cammarata said DEQ can offer planning loans and in some cases principal forgiveness; Cammarata said DEQ currently offers up to $100,000 in principal forgiveness for planning work, and communities can apply for loans to fund engineering and construction. DEQ staff emphasized that securing construction capital for projects in the tens of millions is a major obstacle.

What a facility plan does

DEQ explained that a facility plan (DEQ’s term; sometimes called a preliminary engineering report) compares multiple options, documents costs and environmental review, and produces rate and capital projections that funders require. The agency recommended Depoe Bay commission a facility plan because the city’s treatment plant was last upgraded in 2009 and parts of the collection system are aging and undersized. DEQ staff noted the plan normally covers both the treatment plant and the collection system, and it can identify needs such as upsizing the harbor lift station, repairing or slip‑lining collection lines and rate projections for capital replacement.

Legal, operational and liability constraints

Council members asked about enforcement and about whether the city can simply cut Gleneden off if Gleneden does not meet DEQ timelines. DEQ staff said the agency will cite violations but will not itself order a municipal disconnection; forcibly shutting off a sewer connection could create a public‑health or environmental hazard and expose the shutting party to liability. DEQ staff said the enforcement path is through permits and compliance schedules under the Clean Water Act and that DEQ’s role is to enforce water quality requirements, not to adjudicate contractual disputes between local governments.

Council discussion: sewer district, shared treatment and local costs

Councilors debated whether to push for a larger regional sewer district or to keep Depoe Bay control of its plant. Some councilors urged exploring a sewer district to spread capital costs across more ratepayers and to achieve economies of scale; others noted the political and logistical difficulty of creating a new district and the long history of acrimony between the two communities. Councilors also discussed potentially treating Gleneden as a customer (a contractual approach allowing Depoe Bay to set rates) as an interim mechanism.

Operational details and local impacts

Councilors and staff raised specific maintenance and capital examples: a recent pump purchase cost about $58,000, with a roughly 60/40 cost share noted in discussion; Depoe Bay’s plant was built in 1972 and the collection system contains sections under 15‑inch pipe that may need doubling to meet future flows. Council members stressed concern about local shoreline impacts—near‑shore reefs, kelp and pharmaceuticals in the effluent were mentioned—and asked that any study include evaluation of nearshore impacts and outfall design (diffusers, distance from shore).

Next steps and staff direction

Council members agreed to ask staff to pursue a facility plan study for Depoe Bay and to bring back details on scope, cost and possible funding. The council also asked staff to re‑engage Gleneden Beach for discussions before the city spends substantial study funds, to review contract language that would treat Gleneden as a customer if the parties negotiate a new agreement, and to consult with engineering firms (AKS, ATS Engineering and others were discussed) about a possible RFP or scope. DEQ staff offered to coordinate with state agencies and to help identify funding sources and technical contacts for permit questions.

Ending

DEQ officials warned that even with steady progress from Gleneden, building a new plant and outfall is multi‑year work and that funding availability will be a gating factor. The council directed staff to return with a recommended scope and budget for a Depoe Bay facility plan and to continue discussions with Gleneden Beach and state partners.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Depoe Bay City Council Work Session_6-24-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Depoe Bay councilors and DEQ staff reviewed the status of wastewater service after Gleneden Beach gave notice that it intends to discontinue service to Depoe Bay and pursue its own treatment options, possibly including an ocean outfall.","taxTitle","Depoe Bay, Lincoln County, Oregon","taxId",55616,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6163557,"Depoe Bay agrees to apply for state hydrogen backup grant; staff seek details on footprint and operations",827,5256000,6083000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5433917-11b6184268d1ad3ddd0a079374e825c4&start=5256&end=6083","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5433917-11b6184268d1ad3ddd0a079374e825c4/thumbnail_5256000.jpg","/articles/6163557/Depoe-Bay/Lincoln-County/Oregon/Depoe-Bay-agrees-to-apply-for-state-hydrogen-backup-grant-staff-seek-details-on-footprint-and-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163557-18f3ba63e7b399a1c0c58b35b0fe27dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169503&Signature=PzUjI2LnpYd~xXHzs0k2IZ1vGJSdR8DYofo5BSxS6aWfXcXQc4D3qEZSK8IUqGfAHbj7JYjwe87xGe8sGVXpbxkG76C2ztylW2FDAD-rFFXz~29Sno39LGt3mHDHC360Y2YA-SplhC4q3tGEduW-v5ig98jGE2s~2E6YzRihF0eKyUdmk3jnk9Z54P320Y5REDqDjNV3-UXY4wpyKdyxU6z8u8KDbUD40CJ-ATgFOKu55tF7v9IV8EqrOD~hlEsYPjoCCa9D2UH8hoWMJPo0l6~ppNZfuVOvw-yYVaLPsI6Xv-dneVAeMdOKbm1YBHK0YjIFTpeOWDCD7zYCwSxDKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Depoe Bay councilors agreed by consensus at a June 24 work session to move forward with an application for an Oregon energy grant that would fund on‑site hydrogen backup systems for city facilities, while staff flagged follow‑up questions about siting, maintenance and long‑term operations.

What council agreed to consider

City staff described a two‑phase grant opportunity: an initial phase to install hydrogen‑fuel systems at two municipal sites (the meeting referenced the community center and one other facility) and a later phase for additional systems such as the water/wastewater plant. A consulting firm (Aptum, referenced in the discussion) is available to prepare the application; the council agreed that consultants should begin work so the August/September letter‑of‑intent window can be met.

Grant details, footprint and operations concerns

Staff said the installed unit is a containerized system roughly described in the discussion as about 20 by 10 feet with solar arrays on or near the container and fuel tanks inside. Presenters said the system is intended to provide emergency power for extended outages and that the company providing the system (described as based in Boulder, Colorado) will provide technical and seismic performance data; DEQ/DOE grant guidance requires applicants to describe operations, staffing and maintenance for at least five years.

Council members and city staff asked practical questions: where tanks would be sited, whether trees would need removal for the footprint, who would perform maintenance, whether staff have capacity to operate and inspect the system, and how the city would address zoning and permitting. Staff noted the grant application itself asks for an operations and staffing plan and a budget impact projection for annual maintenance.

Funding, timeline and city costs

Presenters said the grant process is competitive but that the city would not need to contribute capital for initial construction if awarded; the grant has two phases, with an initial construction phase figure discussed (the conversation referenced a $95,000 initial figure in earlier materials) and a later phase up to roughly $1,000,000 for larger deployments. City staff said the city has budgeted $25,000 as seed money to pay consultants to assemble the application and supporting documents.

Next steps and staff tasks

Councilors asked for more technical briefings from the vendor and for written answers to site‑specific questions (seismic testing, maintenance training, staffing and emergency procedures). Staff said the consultant can begin application work immediately and that formal council approval of the application will be scheduled at the next council meeting; staff will also check zoning and permitting requirements and follow up about whether the system will require a building permit, screening or tree removal.

Ending

Council consensus to pursue the grant cleared the path for the consultant to start application work; staff will return with vendor responses to seismic and operations questions, a final application for council approval and recommended site plans and permit next steps.

","Councilors gave consensus to apply for a state energy grant to install hydrogen backup systems at the community center (and later at the water/wastewater plant). Staff and public raised questions about container size, earthquake safety, maintenance, staffing and long‑term operations; consultant work and a seed budget were discussed.","actionData","errors"]

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Depoe Bay explores facility plan, funding as Gleneden Beach pursues new outfall

Depoe Bay agrees to apply for state hydrogen backup grant; staff seek details on footprint and operations