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Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board March 5 , 2009 Approved April 2, 2009 twenty years of my tenure here . When there was a landfill site search back in the early ' 90s there was a major interest in something other than landfilling that the county should pursue . There were very serious investigations of alternative technologies . None of them panned out for a variety of reasons . Over time some of the technologies became better refined and additional research was done and today there are a number of promising technologies that are in various stages of research and development with the handling of waste and other materials . As a part of the transfer station site process the BOCC raised the issue of doing something else with our waste even, if it is transferred, other than send it to a landfill . An expert out of Maryland was hired who conducted a feasibility analysis of the current and emerging technologies . The report was presented to the BOCC in September . The BOCC has asked staff and the SWAB to provide a forum and opportunity to hear about the various technologies to see if any are suitable for Orange County or Orange County and others to pursue as a short or long-term goal to handle waste generated that can' t be recycled . gin the discussions of various technologies . This is the first meeting of the SWAB to be We are trying to get a variety of opinions and facts to eventually make a report bac to the BOCC of what was heard . Over the next several meetings numerous companies will be invited to speak so we can see if there is any potential for Orange County now or in the future . There are a few technologi es that are fairly mature that are functioning and environmental controls have been perfected . There is a long list of other kinds of various technologies in various stages of development that may at some point in the future provide various opportunities for use . Orange County Voice Bonnie Hauser states that we know that WtE is not new to this board . We' ve read the minutes and know this board raised the issue back in September as an option the County should look at. Our comments tonight are based on our own research in the area and an objective that we share with you and the county for sustaining waste management solutions as environmentally, socially and fiscally responsible . Our research says that WtE is not an option for the county in the next two to three years . We do believe that working with other counties, business ading waste and energy companies, that the county needs to partners, the State, and le in to look at this to define options and opportunities for WtE that include the beg discussion of sites and waste streams . The result of that project would provide the basis for siting a waste transfer station for the county . Consulting a developer such as Energy Answers could be a good partner for us to facilitate that effort. We started researching the project last November at the suggestion of some residentss from West Stockbridge (MA) who are now looking at shifting from their own landfill operations to using a WtE facility, a Mass Burn facility in Pittsfield, MA next to a paper mill where the US Currency is made . That community put us in touch with 8