Okaloosa County BOCC — November 4, 2012 — Action Item Printout

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: December 18, 2012 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Jeff Littrell SUBJECT: Contract for the Transportation and Removal of Biosolids DEPARTMENT: Water and Sewer BCC DISTRICT: All STATEMENT OF ISSUE: OCWS staff requests approval by the Board of County Commissioners for the Chairman to execute a contract with Crook Creek Farms for the transportation and removal of biosolids from our Arbennie Pritchett Water Reclamation Facility (APWRF). Biosolids from our other two plants (Bob Sikes & Russell F. Stephenson) are trucked to APWRF and then transported from there to the permitted disposal site. BACKGROUND: Historically, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has held wastewater treatment plants responsible for their biosolids from production through final disposal, even if the final disposal is located offsite and handled by a separate entity. On August 29, 2010, FDEP changed rule 62-640, F.A.C., to require all biosolids land application sites in the state of Florida to be permitted directly with FDEP. This change reduces unnecessary risk for OCWS, because the biosolids contractors are now the point of responsibility for the final disposal of biosolids. The biosolids contractor’s documentation that was once submitted through OCWS to FDEP will now be submitted directly from the permitted biosolids disposal contractor to FDEP. Under the current APWRF operating permit, condition VI (1) (b) requires the facility to begin using a land application site permitted in accordance with 62-640, F.A.C., for disposal of biosolids by January 1, 2013. Biosolids contractors have been working with FDEP throughout 2012 to obtain permits for their sites. The first biosolids land application permits in Northwest Florida were only issued in November 2012. Currently, the OCWS primary biosolids contractor, R & E Farms, is still working in cooperation with FDEP to complete its first permit application. Fortunately, a potential backup biosolids contractor, Crook Creek Farms, now holds three permits. All indications were that R & E Farms was working with FDEP to have their permit by January 1, 2013. As of December 10, 2012, R & E Farms still has not obtained their FDEP permit. We have a responsibility to the public, and our customers, to ensure that we have a permitted land application site where we can dispose of our biosolids. Therefore, OCWS staff and consultants feel it would be most prudent to enter into a contract with a second contractor, Crook Creek Farms, in order to provide a backup if R & E Farms does not have their permit by January 1, 2013. The contract with Crook Creek Farms can also serve in the event of a future emergency that may arise with the primary contractor. The existing R & E Farms' contract (attached) is for services through September 30, 2013. Therefore, we are proposing to enter into identical contract with Crook Creek Farms with the same prices as R & E Farms contract. This contract will provide the same services and duration as the existing R & E Farms contract. OCWS staff and consultants have been in regular communication with R & E Farms, inquiring about the status of their FDEP permit and we have been told repeatedly that the permit approval would occur within a short time. However, time is now running out and the County Contract Review process has not been completed at the time of this agenda request being written (Dec. 10). We are proposing that BCC approval for the Chairman to execute this contract be contingent upon the successful completion of the County Contract Review process and after Crook Creek Farms has executed it. OPTIONS: Approve or deny. RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends BCC approval for the Chairman to execute the contract with Crook Creek Farms for the transportation and removal of biosolids from APWRF contingent upon the successful completion of County Contract Review and after execution by Crook Creek Farms. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: James D. Curry, County Administrator