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Otter Tail County discusses regional C&D plan and hires consultant to study landfill ash monofill expansion
Summary
County solid‑waste staff outlined multi‑county construction & demolition planning, options for financing and competition with private operators, and the board approved a not‑to‑exceed $45,000 contract with Widseth to prepare an environmental assessment worksheet for an ash monofill expansion.
Solid‑waste director Chris McCann used the Jan. 6 Otter Tail County Board meeting to update commissioners on two interlinked efforts: regional planning for construction and demolition (C&D) waste among nine counties, and a planned environmental review for expanding the ash monofill at the Northeast Otter Tail Landfill.
McCann said the C&D study is grappling with statutory limits on requiring haulers to deliver waste to a public facility (waste designation) and with how any jointly owned regional facility would be financed. He described financing options that include competitive operation by the private sector and the possibility of a hauler‑applied service fee (an example discussed was a $5–$10 per‑yard fee applied by haulers, with those funds used by a joint powers board to support a regional program). “It may be that at the end of the discussion, we should let the privates run it,” McCann said, adding that any final plan must be competitive and that sensitivity analyses show wide uncertainty in long‑term assumptions.
On a related item, McCann asked the board to authorize a professional‑services agreement with Widseth to prepare an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for an ash monofill expansion at the Northeast Otter Tail Landfill. McCann said the consultant agreed to an hourly, not‑to‑exceed proposal; he told commissioners the ceiling is $45,000. The board moved, seconded and approved the contract by voice vote.
Commissioners asked about permit‑by‑rule changes at the state level, hauling across state lines, and whether the region would process demo waste or primarily haul it for disposal. McCann said the project team has considered a range of disposal sites and processing options and that more detailed cost modeling and a sensitivity analysis will be part of the study and EAW process.
Next steps identified in the discussion include finalizing the scope with the consultant, conducting the EAW, and continuing intercounty coordination on financing and potential facility design or operational models.
