Meeting Minutes
Date: Thursday, September 20, 2012
Time: 10 am
Location: Lakeside Charlies
301 South Lake Mitchell Drive, Cadillac, MI 49601,
Phone: 231-775-5332
1. Introduction and Attendance
Ice Breaker: What was your favorite part of this past summer?
Attendance: Jeff Pugh, Phil Hoyt, Dave Schipper, Kim Hackbardt, Diana Seifert, Scott Kunst, Scott Kafka, Hamid Rahbarnoohi, Bahram Zamani, Jeff Dietlin, and Steve Mahoney
MWEA Active Biosolids Committee List – please indicate:
a. Attendance
b. MWEA membership status
2. Acceptance/revision of prior meeting minutes
Approved online.
3. MDEQ Update & MDARD Update
a. MDEQ - Mike Person is testifying at SB 1206 so he was not in attendence at the meeting, but had provided Dave with some updates:
Biosolids Funding Workgroup -
The biosolids funding workgroup which was established to look at funding issues with the biosolids program has discontinued their monthly meetings after 3 meetings. The stakeholders had the opportunity to review the issues and the consensus of the group was that they were not interested at this time to pursue a legislative fix to the sustainability issues of the funding mechanism for the program. In light of this, based on the current estimates for next fiscal year (FY 13) the Department will look at maintaining the current DEQ field presence, which is reduced from last year because of Jim’s retirement. Current estimates for FY 14 may require a slight decrease in FTEs for FY 14.
The DEQ Director has confirmed that oversight of the DEQ biosolids program will be switched from the Resource Management Division to the Water Division. No significant changes are anticipated.
SB 1206 -
Proposed legislation has been introduced that would revise the Part 24 Rules. This legislation will provide some regulatory relief to facilities that create Exceptional Quality biosolids and wish to use them as bulk for landscaping purposes. The first senate hearing was last week and no significant comments were received. A second hearing is today which is where Mike is.
Goodland Township - Mike has met with Township officials again and plans to meet with WWTPs with permitted sites in the Township to look at a reasonable solution that would still allow land application but would perhaps involve a slight increase in isolation distances from vegetable crops and site boundaries on a few select sites. It would likely only impact a couple of permitted site locations.
2012 Annual Report Form
The 2012 annual report form is now available on the DEQ biosolids Website. Some slight revisions have been made in an attempt to simplify the form. This year we will be sending out email notices instead of postcards to each TWTDS that we have a valid email address for. The remaining facilities will receive the post card notice which is how it has been done in previous years. "0" ton facilities will be allowed this year to complete the form and email it back electronically. We will look at electronic submission of completed annual reports next year.
b. MDARD: Steve Mahoney: Working on Newsletter. It was suggested that Steve put down some bullet points about what he has done and is doing for Biosolids in his Newsletter. Steve has been in contact with Biosolids Counterparts in Indiana and Ohio, maybe get someone from those states to MI for our Conference to get another State’s perspective. Lee’s Workshop - may do a spring training. Lee would prefer to keep his workshop as a stand alone workshop. Update Newsletter list.
4. MWEA Update
a. Conference Update: Double Tree Dearborn: DWSD as tour.
b. Liason Update: Biosolids Committee under “probation”, being monitored financially. Important to make money for our conference next year. Association had reduced revenue in 2011with Joint IPP/Biosolids Conferrence.
5. Items from the Chair/Officers
a. The new President is Jeff Pugh and new Secretary is Scott Kafka.
b. MWEA Biosolids Budget for 2013 – Due October 1st. Jeff to update and send to Karlyn at MWEA.
c. Biosolids and MWEA Awards – Nominations due October 25th. Jeff is asking for nominations: Joe Goergen is nominated by Bahram, seconded by Diana. Jeff to contact Joe and submit to MWEA.
d. Biosolids Calender 2013 – Sponsors? Jeff will handle and sent out Letters for potential sponsors. Jeff will follow up with them again. Grandville and Cadillac agreed to be sponsors again. Deadline for sponsors: November 1, 2012.
6. Subcommittee Activities
a. Expos: Ag Expo: Soybeans decimated with Spider Mites, will apply Delta Biosolids to plot, and plant wheat for the fall.
b. Expo subcommittee: MACD Annual Conference in December, MTA Annual Conference,
c. Conference Subcommittee: March 6-7, 2013. Planning on having it at Dearborn Double Tree. Tour will be the DWSD WWTP.
d. IT Subcommittee.
7. Online Activities
a. Facebook: current information, potential topics (anyone heard anything good lately???) Ben started it, Kari took it over… Is she still doing this? Scott Kafka will contact. Can anyone post on this page?
b. MWEA Website: (http://www.mi-wea.org/biosolids.php): Karlyn wants stuff to put on, i.e. minutes, schedule, etc. Also Scott Kafka to ask her to put upcoming Biosolids Committee meetings on the MWEA website calendar.
8. Other – New Business, National or Local Biosolids News, other
a. Next Meeting: Scott Kafka would like the group to go Frankenmuth. Scott Kunst suggested the BOB in GR. Committee decided to go back to Frankenmuth, either Zehnders or Bavarian Inn, for our Holiday meal and party . Scott Kafka will contact either one or both facilities. December 13, 2012.
b. Kim Hackbardt suggested we start a membership subcommittee. We need to actively recruit new Biosolids Committee Members, preferably young members. Kim will chair and is looking for people to help his committee.
c. Kim suggested have speakers come to our Committee meetings and give ½ hour presentations on some aspect of Biosolids. Suggested a Speaker Subcommittee be formed and Bahram agreed to chair and to contact and arrange for speakers for future meetings.
9. Next Meeting: Schedule upcoming committee meetings.
a. December 13, 2012: Frankenmuth, MI
b. January 17, 2013: Delta Township
c. March 6-7, 2013 is the Conference
d. May 16, 2013, Grandville
e. July 18, 2013, MSU (Ag Expo)
f. September 19, 2013, Cadillac, Johnson Wildlife Center
g. December 12, 2013: Frankenmuth
Vision: To make Michigan a national leader in environmentally sound Biosolids processes and products.
Mission Statement: To provide leadership and promote beneficial uses of Biosolids.