Just as the city accepted more sludge for its incinerator, Auburn City Council will discuss applying for a grant and tax credits for a project that would shut the facility down.
At Thursday's council work session, William Cetti of ECO Technology Solutions LLC will speak to the council about a Clean Renewable Energy Bond application for a biodigester. The grant helps finance renewable energy projects. ECO Vice President Kamyar Zadeh predicts the grant will be announced at the end of the year.
He aims to begin constructing the biodigester, which creates methane gas from manure and sludge, next year.
“With the digester, the technology is much more efficient and environmentally more friendly,” Mayor Timothy Lattimore said. adding that it won't produce noxious fumes or cause any environmental air quality issues.
One aspect of the digester is to shut down the city's incinerator to save “substantial” money spent on natural gas, Zadeh said. The incinerator is using $1 million in fuel annually, Lattimore said. Last year, the incinerator ran at 30 percent efficiency, but has jumped up to about 65 percent this year, Mark Storrs, chief mechanic, told council last week.
The city just received a contract for 28 tons of waste daily from Toronto, which brings up the incinerator's weekly total to 260 tons. This increase will help the facility use fuel more efficiently, Storrs said.
But the city plans to shut down the incinerator eventually, treat the sewage and dump it in the landfill. First, the city needs to obtain a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation, Zadeh said.
Sanitation Supervisor Michael Talbot reminded councilors last week the city has to tread carefully to stay within the limits the DEC set for landfill tonnage.
The city is allowed to receive up to 650 tons a day and up to 96,000 tons annually. Talbot earlier estimated the average day brings in 300 to 350 tons.
Since he calculated that figure, the city has not renewed its contract with one of the biggest suppliers, Casella. City Manager Mark Palesh has negotiated six solid waste contracts for different amounts, ranging from 200 tons to 5,000 tons a years. However, the agreements all specify the organizations can dump up to 75 tons a day.
The city already is handing over monthly payments of nearly $13,500 to ECO Solutions, which it will continue to do until October. The city will pay the Leesburg, Va.-based company a total of $195,300.
A budget summary Comptroller Lisa Green prepared through March 31 estimates the city will bring in $ 92,000 by June 30 from incinerator fees, about half the amount budgeted. The landfill, which supplies methane gas to the facility, sold $170,000 worth of fuel.
Besides taking it from the landfill, the city still bought methane gas from O.C.M. BOCES for the incinerator.
“We'll capture as much gas as we can from both systems, from the landfill and the digester, and set up an electric turbine to produce electricity to give to the sewage treatment plant. I mean the pumps run 24 hours a day, so hopefully we can reduce the costs,” Lattimore said.
Budget talks are also on the agenda for Thursday's meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at city hall. City officials will discuss spending plans for public safety, public works and municipal utilities, along with debt and undistributed items.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or
jessica.soule@lee.net
He aims to begin constructing the biodigester, which creates methane gas from manure and sludge, next year.
“With the digester, the technology is much more efficient and environmentally more friendly,” Mayor Timothy Lattimore said. adding that it won't produce noxious fumes or cause any environmental air quality issues.
One aspect of the digester is to shut down the city's incinerator to save “substantial” money spent on natural gas, Zadeh said. The incinerator is using $1 million in fuel annually, Lattimore said. Last year, the incinerator ran at 30 percent efficiency, but has jumped up to about 65 percent this year, Mark Storrs, chief mechanic, told council last week.
The city just received a contract for 28 tons of waste daily from Toronto, which brings up the incinerator's weekly total to 260 tons. This increase will help the facility use fuel more efficiently, Storrs said.
But the city plans to shut down the incinerator eventually, treat the sewage and dump it in the landfill. First, the city needs to obtain a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation, Zadeh said.
Sanitation Supervisor Michael Talbot reminded councilors last week the city has to tread carefully to stay within the limits the DEC set for landfill tonnage.
The city is allowed to receive up to 650 tons a day and up to 96,000 tons annually. Talbot earlier estimated the average day brings in 300 to 350 tons.
Since he calculated that figure, the city has not renewed its contract with one of the biggest suppliers, Casella. City Manager Mark Palesh has negotiated six solid waste contracts for different amounts, ranging from 200 tons to 5,000 tons a years. However, the agreements all specify the organizations can dump up to 75 tons a day.
The city already is handing over monthly payments of nearly $13,500 to ECO Solutions, which it will continue to do until October. The city will pay the Leesburg, Va.-based company a total of $195,300.
A budget summary Comptroller Lisa Green prepared through March 31 estimates the city will bring in $ 92,000 by June 30 from incinerator fees, about half the amount budgeted. The landfill, which supplies methane gas to the facility, sold $170,000 worth of fuel.
Besides taking it from the landfill, the city still bought methane gas from O.C.M. BOCES for the incinerator.
“We'll capture as much gas as we can from both systems, from the landfill and the digester, and set up an electric turbine to produce electricity to give to the sewage treatment plant. I mean the pumps run 24 hours a day, so hopefully we can reduce the costs,” Lattimore said.
Budget talks are also on the agenda for Thursday's meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at city hall. City officials will discuss spending plans for public safety, public works and municipal utilities, along with debt and undistributed items.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or
jessica.soule@lee.net
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