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Plumas County hears public concerns and options for green‑waste disposal; no immediate policy change
Summary
Public works outlined the costs and operational challenges of green‑waste disposal (labor, equipment and limited markets for pine needles and wet material); residents and staff discussed chipping, grinders, air‑curtain burners and regional approaches. Board asked staff to return with options; no vote was taken.
Plumas County public works staff and members of the public engaged in an extended Feb. 18 discussion about green‑waste disposal costs, existing programs and possible alternatives.
Public Works explained that most green waste currently has limited market value (pine needles and wet leaves in particular) and that disposal requires tipping fees, labor and equipment. Staff said the Chester green‑waste program operates on a reduced fee that often does not fully cover county costs: recent season labor exceeded $36,000 and equipment charges topped $22,000. At present Chester charges between $5 and $7.50 per cubic yard depending on location and service model.
Public commenters urged exploring options including chippers, regional grinders, separating pine needles from woody waste, partnering with Sierra Pacific if acceptable feedstock can be produced, and pursuing grant funding or nonprofit conversion of a regional processing facility. Public Works noted prior experiments with chippers and that larger grinders can be expensive to operate. Staff said they are exploring an air‑curtain burner and other strategies to reduce costs and may return with recommendations, including a proposal to raise the per‑yard fee to better reflect operational costs.
The board received comments, asked staff to continue exploring options and did not take a formal vote on policy changes at this meeting.
