Transfer Station Permit Extended to June 30, But That May Be It

By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager

At its special meeting on Tuesday, May 4 the San Juan County Council will discuss how to deal with the probability that the County’s permit to operate the San Juan Island solid waste transfer station will lapse on June 30.

On April 22, the San Juan County Health Department and the Washington Department of Ecology notified the County that the County solid waste utility’s variance, which allows it to operate the San Juan Island facility, would be extended until the end of June; but the notice made clear that unless substantial progress is made toward covering the tipping floor and making other improvements to handle stormwater runoff, there will be no more extensions.

The San Juan Island Transfer Station has been operating under a variance issued by the Health Department since November 15, 2006. Extension of the variance has been contingent on the County’s progress toward upgrading or replacing the facility with one that meets all state standards. The April Health Department’s notice concluded, “Without further evidence that the tip floor will be covered, it is unlikely [the Washington Department of] Ecology will concur with another variance after the expiration of this one.

The solid waste utility was on track to put the contract for the fabrication and installation of a cover for the tipping floor out for bid before the end of April. But on April 1 the Town of Friday Harbor withdrew from the year-long negotiations for the sale of the transfer station site, which the County now leases from the Town. In a letter, the Town cited concerns over the financial stability of the utility and a recently announced increase in its tipping fees.

Some County Council Members, including Chair Richard Fralick have indicated that they do not want to make capital improvements on the property if the Town has the right to terminate the County’s lease during the useful life of the improvement. Other members have shown a willingness to continue negotiations but, according to Public Works Director Jon Shannon, even if the Council were to give the go-ahead Tuesday, it would be too late to advertise, receive and review bids, and let a contract for the tipping floor cover by the June 30 deadline.

The utility has been working on options for handling trash and recycling when the transfer station permit expires.

Late last week, Public Works Director Shannon advanced an idea he characterizes as an “interim emergency procedure” that may enable commercial “packer” trucks to unload at the current site. However other types of commercial trucks would have to be ferried off island to the Orcas transfer facility until either another transfer station can be put into service on San Juan Island or another alternative type of service selected.

Preliminary discussions have centered on locating a new solid waste facility on 6 acres of newly-rezoned county-owned land adjacent to the Town-owned property.

The Council has indicated that instituting mandatory curbside trash pickup, the system now used by the Town, would be a distant last resort.

Tuesday’s deliberations will cover both the short term need to continue operations and the longer term issue of how to establish a stable source of revenue for the cash-strapped utility. A link to the staff report prepared for the Council is available on the Council’s agenda page at: https://sanjuanco.com/council/displayAgenda.aspx?agendaid=184

The County has recently embarked on a renewed effort to update its Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan (SWMP) and assigned planner Elizabeth Anderson to oversee the process. Anderson says that the project will include numerous opportunities for public review and input. Information about the SWMP update project is available on the County website at: https://sanjuanco.com/swmp