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3 <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> TO: John Link, County Manager <br /> FROM: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director <br /> SUBJECT: Board of Commissioners Follow-up—Alternatives to Agriculture Burning <br /> DATE: February 11, 2002 <br /> This memorandum addresses issues raised at the November 7, 2001 Public Hearing and the <br /> December 11, 2001 Board of Commissioners Meeting related to how the Regulated Recyclable <br /> Materials Ordinance (RRMO)would impact agriculture related burning practices. <br /> Background <br /> At the December 11, 2001 Board of Commissioners meeting the Board adopted a Regulated <br /> Recyclable Materials Ordinance that specifically excluded the sections from earlier drafts which <br /> would have prohibited the burning of landclearing debris, including that which is generated from <br /> agriculture activities. Interest from the agricultural community was evident, in part, from comments <br /> made at the November 7 Public Hearing where several persons expressed their concern that the <br /> prohibition of their usual burning practices could cause them additional expense or other <br /> difficulties. <br /> Based on the concerns of the agriculture community and the Board's sensitivity to their concerns, <br /> staff was asked to investigate and evaluate alternatives to open burning that might be made <br /> available to the agricultural community. Solid Waste staff has consulted with the Manager's office, <br /> Tax Assessor, County Attorney, Cooperative Extension, Emergency Management, Budgeting, <br /> Forestry Service, Economic Development, and Environment and Resource Conservation <br /> Departments for assistance and advice regarding this matter. <br /> Staff intends to solicit feedback from those farmers who spoke at the November 7 Public Hearing <br /> and is in the process of arranging meetings to do so. The timing of these meetings did not allow <br /> comments received to be incorporated within this report. <br /> Discussion <br /> How would the agriculture community be impacted by the prohibition of open burning of <br /> landclearing debris? <br /> Unless the agriculture community elected to simply push the cleared material into an unused portion <br /> of the property and leave the material to slowly decompose, it is anticipated that there would likely <br /> be an increase in costs associated with landclearing activities. Additionally, some farms may have <br /> limited space in which to place the materials for an extended time. Costs could relate to: <br /> • hauling away the material to an off-site mulching or disposal facility <br />