Agenda - 05-01-2008-11b - Laserfiche WebLink

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Memorandum To: Board of County Commissioners From: Commission for the Environment Date: April 21, 2008 Re: City of Burlington Biosolids Permit Renewal Public.Hearing In response to a citizen petition at the March 6 Board of Commissioners meeting, the Commission for the Environment (CFE) has discussed the upcoming Division of Water Quality public hearing for the City of Burlington's biosolids application permit renewal. This hearing appears to now be scheduled for May 13 in Graham. In so doing, the CFE reviewed Health Director Dr. Rosemary Summers March 10 memorandum, and research performed by a CFE member. The CFE feels that a considerable amount of additional information and data is needed to speak knowledgeably about the permit application -and about the ecological and human health issues related to biosolids. However, the Commission would like to forward the following points and ideas for consideration: 1. According to our GIS maps of active biosolids application sites, there appear to be a few sites within the critical areas of Orange County's protected watersheds. These include the Burlington application sites within the Cane Creek watershed and active OWASA application sites within the Upper Eno critical watershed Under the County's watershed zoning standards, biosolids application is not permitted within the critical area. We do not know if these particular sites are among those proposed for renewal, or if they are "grandfathered" in, but would suggest any re- permitting by the State exclude these properties now and in the future. 2. Based on the publicly available research, the potential environmental and health risks have not been adequately quantified, particularly with regard to organic toxic compounds (such as dioxins, furans and PCB's) and pharmaceutical residues, as these compounds are not subject to regulation. In addition, there appears to be a paucity of current local data both characterizing the compounds present in Burlington's sewage sludge and content of toxic compounds in amended soils -making evaluation of the safety of biosolids application impossible. The CFE proposes that the Health Department and UNC School of Public Health study that is referenced in Dr. Summers' letter be expedited if possible, possibly using County-owned lands, to help address some of these questions. 3. As mapped, biosolids application is widespread in the County, with almost 3,000 acres of permitted sites receiving biosolids application from six different municipal wastewater treatment facilities including: Durham, Cary, OWASA, Burlington, Mebane, and Hillsborough. .