Council adopts hazmat ordinance allowing city to recoup response costs, approves emergency clause

The council approved revisions to the city’s hazardous-materials ordinance (Ord. 3902) to clarify the city’s authority to recover costs from responsible parties for responding to and remediating hazardous-material incidents.

Trevor (presenting the ordinance) said the updated language broadens the set of liable parties to include the spiller, property owner or other responsible entity and allows the city to invoice for incurred costs. Chief Jeremy Moore told the council the city’s fire department has seen a significant increase in natural-gas leaks tied to directional underground boring, and he cited an internal estimate of roughly $750 per hour per fire truck as the kind of cost the city may seek to recover.

Council members asked whether law-enforcement or other department costs could also be recovered. Trevor said the ordinance’s responsibility language is broad and, in his view, would cover other incident costs the city calculates. Staff said they are working with local contractors who perform directional boring to make them aware of the new expectations and potential financial liability.

Council moved and seconded to approve Ordinance 3902; they separately moved to adopt an emergency clause so the cost-recovery provisions could take effect immediately. Roll calls were recorded for both motions.

Staff said actual invoicing and recovery processes will follow administrative procedures and that the city will continue to coordinate with outside remediation contractors for cleanup work. Council did not adopt an itemized fee schedule at the meeting; actual charges will be calculated per incident per the ordinance and supporting administrative rules.