Agenda - 02-19-2002 - 9a - Laserfiche WebLink

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11 Attachment B provides additional information from the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Various governmental and non-governmental contacts to which staff has spoken have expressed a generally favorable disposition toward this controlled burning method and feel it should at least be considered by the BOCC. Staff has not yet received any feedback from the Departments of Environment and Resource Conservation or Health Department on this matter. Key Issues: • Staff believes, based on earlier discussions with the County Attorney, that air curtain burning could probably not be allowed by the ordinance within the agriculture community only, and would have to be available to all. • By changing the definition of open burning within the ordinance, the Board could choose to not include air curtain burning under its definition of open burning, and consider it as a permissible method of controlled burning. • Generally considered a more efficient, thorough type of burning, that produces significantly less smoke and ash residue than open burning • Can be utilized on-site or at a central location; equipment is mobile. • See Attachment C, North Carolina Administrative Code relating to Air Curtain Burners. • Considered by many emergency management and forestry officials as an essential tool for effectively managing large quantities of storm related or diseased vegetative debris. • The County could acquire an air curtain burner and provide the service directly,presumably for a fee. • Private air curtain burning companies are available within the region. • Consultations with local emergency management and forestry officials have resulted in reasonably favorable opinions of this type of burning,particularly when compared to open burning. • Should the Board wish to consider making air curtain burning allowable within the ordinance, various conditions and constraints could be stipulated(i.e. #of acres, wind direction/speed, distance from adjacent property/dwelling, etc.), as contained within the NCAC(attachment B). An air curtain permit could be required, subjecting the permit holder to follow various local guidelines and pay a permit fee. • A state license is required to lawfully perform this type of burning. Costs: • Staff has made an inquiry with two local private air curtain burning companies in an attempt to obtain estimated costs for these services on a per acre basis. Mr. Reese Martin says there simply are too many variables to generalize about costs and estimates are provided as relate to a specific location. Another company estimates that costs for this service would be about $2,000 1acre. • If the County Solid Waste Management Department were to obtain the necessary capability to provide air curtain burning to the agriculture community (assuming the development community could be excluded), staff estimated that the per acre fee would be approximately$1,500-$2,000 per acre. Circumstances could result in costs lower or higher than this range. A portable air curtain machine sufficient to handle most jobs would cost approximately $25,000-$35,000. A low-boy trailer ($25,000), an excavator ($185,000), and other miscellaneous costs would include fuel, maintenance, supplies, etc. would also be necessary. One additional position would be necessary (approx. $35,000/year) 9