HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 12771 (Research Methan Capture-Food Waste)RESOLUTION NO. 12771
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING CONTINUED
RESEARCH ON UTILIZING METHANE CAPTURE -FOOD WASTE TO ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY AT THE CENTRAL MARIN SANITATION AGENCY FACILITY
WHEREAS, in 2005, Mayor Boro became one of the initial signatories of the U.S.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement on behalf of the City of San Rafael; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael has implemented a number of programs and projects
to address climate change and on April 20, 2009, the City Council approved a Climate Change
Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, commercial food waste in local landfills creates methane gas that
contributes to global warming, the City of San Rafael seeks new technology to reduce the
methane gas impact; and
WHEREAS, the Central Marin Sanitation Agency (CMSA), a regional wastewater
agency, provides wastewater treatment and disposal service to the City of San Rafael and Marin
Sanitary Service (MSS), a solid waste hauler and leader in recycling, provides solid waste
collection and disposal service to the City of San Rafael pursuant to a Franchise Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Central Marin Sanitation Agency is capturing methane produced in two
anaerobic digestors and is utilizing the methane to power a portion of the plant and Marin
Sanitary Services has undertaken a pilot project to compost food waste; and
WHEREAS, Pacific Gas and Electric awarded a $20,000 grant to the City of San Rafael
to fund a report on methane capture feasibility; and the Central Marin Sanitation Agency
contributed an additional $25,000 for the study; and
WHEREAS, a Request for Proposal was issued by the City, in conjunction with the
Central Marin Sanitary Agency, and eligible consultants were identified and interviewed and
Kennedy/Jenks Consultants was deemed to be the most qualified consultant; and was
subsequently hired to undertake such study; and
WHEREAS, the study was completed and the findings that commercial food waste could
be collected in San Rafael and other parts of the CMSA service area and processed with existing
infrastructure at CMSA to produce energy were presented to and accepted by the San Rafael City
Council on February 2, 2009; and
WHEREAS, the CMSA Board of Commissioners has approved the continued research,
exploration, and engineering study of the methane capture -Food -to -Energy (F2E) concept; and
WHEREAS, a future F2E project, if implemented, would help implement the City's Climate
Change Action Plan Policy L-13 to convert organic waste to energy and would provide many
benefits to the community including: diverting food waste from the Redwood Landfill, reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions in Marin County, energy independence for CMSA, reduction of
CMSA operating costs, and the potential to export energy to the utility grid.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council supports and encourages
CMSA and MSS to continue their exploration of the F2E concept as it is a local renewable
energy project that aligns with AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement, and the City's Climate Change Action Plan.
I, ESTHER C. BEIRNE, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the
foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the
City Council of said City held on Monday, the 6`h day of July, 2009 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Brockbank, Connolly, Heller, Miller & Mayor Boro
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
C . oguP"..e
ESTHER C. BEIRNE, City Clerk