Agenda - Council - 05/31/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Methane explosions are rare, but can happen when the gas is allowed to collect in buildings. There are few known explosions caused by methane in Minnesota because the state's coarse glacial till soils generally allow for adequate dispersal of the gas. However, frozen ground can pre- vent the methane gas from rising and force it to move laterally under- neath the soil surface. If methane recovery systems are installed at sanitary landfills to col~ lect and process methane gas, there may be emissions fro~ the facility. Emissions from such facilities will be regulated by the MPCA. Generally, air pollution is not a major concern from resource recovery facilities, except for emissions from an incinerator or odors from a compost facility. The MPCA regulates emissions from incinerators; con- trols such as electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers or baghouses may be required to meet standards. Special studies may be necessary to address the potential environmental and public health risks from nonregulated or trace emissions. Odors at a compost facility can be controlled. Some compost facilities are enclosed or operated in. an enclosed reactor. Most compost facili- ties, however, are operated by windrow or static pile methods. Odors are controlled by ensuring the piles or windrows are sufficiently aerated. Furthermore, a buffer zone should surround a compost facility or the facility should be located away from residetial areas or institutions. DECREASE IN POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT/PROPERTY VALUE Land once used for a landfill can be subsequently used in only a limited number of ways after the facility is closed. This may diminish the mar- ket value or development potential of the property and reduce property tax revenues. A community can reduce this impact by proposing or desig- nating an end use to the land before the landfill is designed and con- structed. An end-use plan would aid in defining land uses adjacent to the site. If the site were reclaimed into a recreational area (more likely) or an industrial park (less likely) the value of surrounding prop- erties may increase, thereby offsetting some of the property tax loss. In many cases, the metropolitan counties have selected candidate landfill sites in commercial agriculture areas or areas that are underdeveloped or little used. There, potential development impacts are not serious. How- ever, sites that have been selected in commercial- or industrial-zoned land pose serious financial impacts to the local community. The impacts may be greater than those involving sites in agricultural areas. A landfill or resource recovery facility may affect values of'adjacent property. This report discusses techniques for mitigating property value impacts to individuals or developers around landfill sites. However, it does recommend methods of compensation property owners for such impacts. Because of uncertainty about the number and location of landfills the 11 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I