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Study recommends 17 acres for municipal composting; city-owned 34-acre parcel identified for Evansville
Summary
A feasibility study presented to the Evansville Climate Collaborative Board recommends starting a municipal composting operation, initially for city and county agency debris, and identifies a 34-acre city-owned site in the county; IDEM permits and board permissions are still required.
Board members heard details on April 15 about a yearlong yard-waste feasibility study that recommends the city pursue a municipal composting site to manage municipal and storm debris and reduce burning and landfill disposal.
Lauren Norvell summarized the study work, conducted by GT Environmental of Ohio, and laid out what the feasibility review covered: "they study the organic waste stream that we produce or have the, capability to produce. They look at methods for collection and methods for composting. They look at composted product markets... They also are looking at different sites." Norvell said the draft report recommends planning for about 17 acres to handle the identified waste stream but noted that municipal reporting likely undercounts waste and that the site identified in the study is roughly 34 acres and is owned by the city though located in the county.
Norvell described possible near-term scope: start with a small, city- or county-run compost yard for municipal departments that produce significant debris—Parks, Urban Forestry, Transportation Services and the County Highway Department—and then expand if demand and funding allow. She said the project would require permitting through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and that the Solid Waste Management Board, which funded the feasibility study, would be consulted first; any use of a city-owned parcel would also require Parks Board approval if the identified site remains the preferred location.
The study is also examining business models and costs, including whether the operation should be public-only or a public-private partnership; it will include estimated start-up and operational costs and an assessment of markets for compost products. Norvell said the draft report will be finalized, shared with boards, and used to determine what permissions and funding to pursue, including state and federal grants for recycling and composting.
Board members asked questions about property size and operations; Norvell said the feasibility study is intended to answer those questions and that staff will return with a finalized report and recommendations. No formal approvals or site selections were made at the April 15 meeting.
Ending: Next steps are finalizing the feasibility report, presenting to the Solid Waste Management Board and Parks Board as appropriate, applying for any required IDEM permits, and seeking funding if the boards approve pursuing a composting site.
