[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6586232,"mediaKeyId","5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3","parentId",5548672,"title","County summarizes landfill gas, transfer-station traffic, staffing shortages and rural-site enforcement plans","audioSeconds",536,"startMs",602000,"endMs",1138000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3&start=602&end=1138","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3/thumbnail_602000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6586232/Kootenai-County/Idaho/County-summarizes-landfill-gas-transfer-station-traffic-staffing-shortages-and-rural-site-enforcement-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6586232-f07a24219b11a330f22ceece04184cf7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067758&Signature=jANSPh1OBD8rK4fWElvaDLqouH0prws38RmVowZ33J7Qucza1Lwn8CPsBFrLNa3ND5FI3b1d7uy3X2jBov5gblYWkb1DhGvr3uMVuuADep9qxOFvraSHEyGEc1C8lsmM71KXrnm1iYWbrBnQQoWuC-o1nIPWV1w4uey-eBG47Nc2v6SzyzRIMGgDXhl7NPIy2zM00xbUk5feOm45tOnbKbeTDcT4HRBePSzq1hQrAMxGU-KeRnW2420dQGsYip4rnJWoRPxLctzOL503U2LveRu0eTiwsAGSmXMDXPseWSpVOuT~w6EomzZU6sOUChaoIMcL-zT8-9JKtYRSxwr2UQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kootenai County","date","2025-08-06T01:46:26.417Z","article","Kootenai County Solid Waste staff provided an operational summary Wednesday covering landfill gas production, transfer-station traffic, staffing shortages and rural collection-site issues.

Landfill gas and potential contract changes: JP said the landfill is collecting about 1,400 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) of landfill gas, of which roughly 1,000 scfm is sent to the gas-to-energy plant while the remainder is combusted at the flare. He said Kootenai Renewable Energy, the plant owner, has discussed possibly installing a third engine to use more gas; that company also indicated it might want to renegotiate the existing contract if it invests in a new engine. \"If we're gonna end up making more money in the long run, I would bring it to you. If it looks like it's a move to where we would end up making less money, I wouldn't bother bringing it to you,\" JP said. He said Paragon Consulting has provided preliminary numbers and staff are evaluating whether to present a proposal for board consideration (current contract runs through 2032, JP said).

Transfer stations and Ramsey Express: staff reported transfer-station traffic is normal for the season. The new small-load express lane at Ramsey Transfer Station is receiving about 150 to 200 vehicles per day and has recorded 8,443 visits and roughly 214 tons through the reporting period; customers report it reduces wait times. JP said customer visits at Ramsey are down 1.6% through June compared with the same period in 2024, while Prairie Transfer Station visits are up 4.5% (attributed in part to the Ramsey paving project).

Staffing and equipment: the department has four full-time vacancies: one heavy equipment mechanic, one environmental technician and two solid waste technicians. JP said applications have increased recently for technician roles but the heavy equipment mechanic position has been open about four months with few qualified applicants. In the meantime, the department has occasionally paid local shops for repairs and borrowed a mechanic from Prairie Transfer Station to support Ramsey operations.

Rural collection sites and enforcement: JP said Sunshine (contract hauler) generally performs well but recent problems with new employees and minor equipment failures led to some full dumpsters on weekends. The county will press the contractor to meet contract requirements. JP said abuse at unstaffed rural sites has increased and the county plans consolidation, staffing and camera installations as enforcement tools. He said camera quotes are in place and funds are available to install cameras at Sunup Bay and Kidd Island; once installed the sheriff's office will receive live links for patrol monitoring. JP added that while some residents have asked for citation issuance for illegal dumping, law enforcement handles ticketing and the county has primarily focused on education.

Wolf Lodge site and future consolidation: county staff reported purchase of property near Wolf Lodge to build a staffed rural collection site. JUB is finalizing contract documents, plans and specifications and staff expect to put the project out to bid in late 2025. JP said the county has obtained a special use permit for future construction and hopes the new site could open in 2026, though he said spring/early summer would be a more likely construction schedule.

Statistics: staff compared January–June 2024 to 2025 and reported the landfill tonnage is up about 1.7% year-to-date while rural collection site visits and tonnage are up about 6.3–6.4%. JP noted the county's 20-plus year average growth is about 3% per year, so the current trends are slightly below that long-term average.

Sources: presentation to the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners solid waste update (Aug. 5, 2025).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","8/05/2025 Board of County Commissioners: Solid Waste","oneSentenceSummary","Kootenai County Solid Waste updated commissioners on gas-to-energy output, transfer-station traffic shifts (Ramsey/Prairie), staffing vacancies, rural-site abuse and planned cameras and a new Wolf Lodge staffed site.","taxTitle","Kootenai County, Idaho","taxId",3567,"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},6586237,"County delays final payment on Phase E3 construction pending VFD replacement; Parametrix hired for future capping design",52,353000,405000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3&start=353&end=405","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3/thumbnail_353000.jpg","/articles/6586237/Kootenai-County/Idaho/County-delays-final-payment-on-Phase-E3-construction-pending-VFD-replacement-Parametrix-hired-for-future-capping-design","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6586237-d9c16d247fe223f52b1ff1652d1ad4cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067758&Signature=UsMcTD14tMCIt463iX~mOanP~NNuwftri7sx2f6gsrHPbJh6IUTIBeXwjDOChwcWKX5DVlAvBBn5MkZpcks8XPDITgMgRAIcT7GYlVoqRVkPojMiXLF2t3IW36wdG1O42E7kMiyThouJ4PMNa2kHMbqMoQNegFib9j1DyCyQeQrZsELhm2yTTAqfmr97m5TrrdY-Ryuzejx8vLOdOrr3oAmimq1fATXs1Yk3lak6JSJtOWtUGTl30wwpPH4Vzd41XtH8w75VTjskbKDgYxQwOrbRl~UQ3LfGnlA6ZHgswTFJ2E8Z-OVy5fK04YUXCZM3tbqZXPAXsSZUEfXmMDrnSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kootenai County Solid Waste reported Wednesday that final closeout of the Phase E3 landfill construction remains incomplete because a warranty-controlled variable frequency drive (VFD) that powers a pump failed and the county is awaiting a replacement.

\"There's a variable frequency driver, a VFD, that controls a large pump that is under warranty and failed,\" JP said. He told commissioners the county is withholding about $17,000 in final payment until the VFD is replaced and functioning. JP identified the VFD vendor as EPG (he said he believed the company is out of Illinois) and said United Crown could supply a replacement if necessary, but staff are seeking warranty resolution through the original bidder.

Why it matters: until the VFD is replaced and pump training is completed, staff said they cannot fully close out the site disturbance permit tied to the Phase E3 construction. JP said the contractor completed erosion control tasks and other punch-list items this spring, but the electrical/VFD issue remains the last unresolved item.

Capping and closure design: county staff also reported plans to design closures (capping) for older landfill areas to reduce leachate generation as new cells open. Parametrix prepared a proposed scope of work and pricing for design, drawings, specifications, cost estimates, survey, bid support and construction management. JP said legal and solid waste staff are reviewing the Parametrix proposal and that they expect to bring the request to the Board of County Commissioners soon.

Next steps: staff said they are pressing the original contractor and engineer to expedite the VFD replacement within the next month and will not release final retainage until the pump and associated training are completed. The Parametrix scope will be reviewed and likely presented to the board for authorization to proceed with capping design and later construction management.

Sources: presentation to the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners solid waste update (Aug. 5, 2025).","Kootenai County said it is holding approximately $17,000 in retainage for Phase E3 landfill work until a variable frequency drive (VFD) pump is replaced under warranty. Separately, staff said Parametrix has proposed designs for capping older cells and the county expects to seek approval for design services soon.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6586241,"Kootenai County tests reverse-osmosis pilot to treat landfill leachate; early results show tens of thousands of gallons reclaimed",171,152000,323000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3&start=152&end=323","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548672-f357e37ac5162e993346d2ffff9dcfe3/thumbnail_152000.jpg","/articles/6586241/Kootenai-County/Idaho/Kootenai-County-tests-reverse-osmosis-pilot-to-treat-landfill-leachate-early-results-show-tens-of-thousands-of-gallons-reclaimed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6586241-526fbeea6f6b0f567126bdbf778b589a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067758&Signature=X5~bEy-fbO3ix~Erf87uk~VMNa1WPPYarNFnzu8yIXv-vR81kirMO6ITvK8jG0IEKRSaXmwibh3deIkRHgpGrRE4VVQW1wCyqcQrmPekXPoBwaqSsmv3ta8m-8U-t4oq8s4JrfsSYMiTGxH6nKUhopMh7uHD-AKtKFc~IctVfRG9y47lpCrGAlpp-aU~jXQf0BOiPs~C90eGCwGeFfkDnJ9BQLL3TsSkBCUmoZMi137nF57FVi~mU1SMA-X7QZneHpdAAebo913kWs38ssoCLQI~t3c-cREIB-cogtkaUOEoYUVy3Xwmcpn30wKaAPcRP~Nag2CLWNKIONxgAvQzzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kootenai County Solid Waste staff reported Wednesday that a newly installed reverse-osmosis and ultrafiltration pilot system is operating at the Fighting Creek landfill and has produced roughly 350,000 gallons of treated (reclaimed) water since the pilot began.

The pilot was brought to the landfill after county staff learned local regional publicly owned treatment works would no longer accept untreated landfill leachate unless key constituents such as PFAS, PCBs and high total dissolved solids (TDS) were removed. \"Leachate's considered an industrial wastewater, and it can be difficult to treat,\" JP said during the county's solid waste update. He said Jacobs Engineering and Dynatech (a New Jersey firm) were engaged to test and supply the system.

Why it matters: the county relies on local wastewater plants to accept treated leachate; losing that outlet required testing on-site treatment that can remove regulated constituents. County staff said success with the pilot would allow the landfill to continue discharging cleaned water to permitted treatment plants or otherwise manage leachate without overloading on-site storage.

What the county reported: Dynatech completed bench-scale treatability testing and delivered the ultrafiltration/reverse-osmosis unit in May 2025. JP said the ultrafiltration worked in May but the reverse-osmosis portion experienced a pump failure in early June; Dynatech credited the county one month of free rental while repairs were made. JP said the pilot is now running and \"it currently appears successful. We're currently treating...28,000 gallons per day...14,000 gallons per day is actually coming back as pure clean water.\" He added the remainder is a concentrated solution that is being returned to the county's leachate pond for reprocessing.

Staff cautioned that the county will not recommend purchasing the equipment until the technology has been further proven. \"The solid waste department will hold off on making any recommendation to purchase this equipment until the technology is able to completely prove itself,\" JP said. He said the department wants to process roughly 2,000,000 gallons (gross) through the pilot before making a purchase recommendation and is ramping the system up slowly to avoid fouling membranes.

Current handling and testing: JP said reclaimed water is being stored in a leachate pond that had been pressure-washed by Big Sky Industrial. The county will have samples tested (JP said \"Harb's is gonna come take some tests\") to confirm compatibility with local wastewater plants before truck-loading and delivering reclaimed water to a POTW for further confirmation.

Next steps and timelines: Dynatech has estimated the unit could process up to about 1,000,000 gallons per month gross and produce roughly 700,000 gallons per month of clean water once fully ramped. County staff said they are intentionally increasing throughput gradually while monitoring membrane performance and key analytes. No purchase decision has been made; staff will return with recommendation only after further operational data.

Sources: presentation to the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners solid waste update (Aug. 5, 2025).","Kootenai County Solid Waste reported an operational reverse-osmosis/ultrafiltration pilot at the Fighting Creek landfill that has produced roughly 350,000 gallons of reclaimed water so far. County staff said they will continue testing before recommending permanent purchase.","actionData","errors"]

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County summarizes landfill gas, transfer-station traffic, staffing shortages and rural-site enforcement plans

County delays final payment on Phase E3 construction pending VFD replacement; Parametrix hired for future capping design

Kootenai County tests reverse-osmosis pilot to treat landfill leachate; early results show tens of thousands of gallons reclaimed