DEPARTMENT: Environmental Resources
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
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Direction On State-Required Dakota County Solid Waste Management Plan Revision
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Request direction regarding policy development and strategy selection for the Dakota County Solid Waste Management Plan revision.
SUMMARY
Background: In Minnesota, counties are required to develop projects and programs to achieve state goals for waste management. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) released a draft Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan (Policy Plan) in June 2023 for public comment and adopted a final https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/w-sw7-22.pdf on January 30, 2024. There were minimal substantive changes from the draft to the final plan.
The Policy Plan guides solid waste management in the 7-county metropolitan area and includes aggressive numeric objectives for each solid waste management method (reduction/reuse, recycling, organics recovery, resource recovery, and land disposal). Minn. Stat. § 473.803 requires each metropolitan county to revise its county solid waste management plan to implement the revised Policy Plan. Revised county solid waste management plans must be submitted to the MPCA within nine months (by October 30, 2024) after the Policy Plan is adopted. The Policy Plan includes prescriptive strategies that counties must include in their revised plans.
County staff conducted initial public engagement from September 1-October 15, 2023, to identify barriers to and potential implementation solutions on draft Policy Plan strategies for more sustainable waste management. The (Attachment: Round 1 Public Engagement Findings) summarizes engagement findings. Audiences engaged included residents, businesses, schools, public entities (cities and townships), and waste industry. Engagement included online surveys, virtual and in-person meetings, and interactive displays throughout Dakota County. Approximately 1,000 stakeholders participated.
Based upon Round 1 public engagement findings and Dakota County’s implementation progress on the Policy Plan’s list of state-prescribed strategies, staff developed a proposed solid waste vision, policies, and an initial set of strategies for the County’s draft plan. Staff is seeking direction from the County Board on the proposed vision and policies (Attachment: Proposed Vision and Policies) and strategies (Attachment: Initial Set of Proposed Selected Strategies) to develop a draft revised Dakota County Solid Waste Management Plan. Another round of public engagement is planned April 1-21, 2024, and findings will be presented to the County Board in July 2024 to further refine strategy selection.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Provide direction on the County’s solid waste vision and the initial set of draft policies and strategies for the revised County Solid Waste Management Plan to meet state requirements.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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Information only; no action requested.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
18-493; 09/18/18
23-374; 08/29/23
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Round 1 Public Engagement Findings
Attachment: Proposed Vision and Polices
Attachment: Proposed Initial Set of Selected Strategies
Attachment: Accomplishments from Existing County Plan
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☒ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Nikki Stewart
Author: Renee Burman