Agenda - Council - 10/14/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A gas monitoring system consisting of 16 probes (10 feet deep) was also installed (August 21, 1980) to allow the efficiency of the gas collection system to be monitored. The probe design is detailed in Appendix A. It appears that the gas collection system was operated inter- mittently during the winter and not at all during the summer because it was thought that normal vertical venting through the soil would occur during the summer. In 1979 residents reported the death of red pine trees in their backyards to Anoka County Community Health and Social Services Department. Bruce Bacon, City of Ramsey Municipal Tree Inspector, filed a report dated June 22, 1979 (Appendix B) and concluded that the landfill couldbeacontributing factor to the tree death. He noted that samples taken at that time showed no indication of disease or insect problems. During the late spring of this year more trees died, and losses are significant in several yards. In early August, 1980. the residents resported a putrid odor in the soil from their yards to the Anoka County Community Health and Social Services Department. The gas venting system was activated during August 2-7, 1980 but resident complaints of pump noise resulted in a shut-down of the system. At the same time Anoka County and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency initiated-an 3_nu~s~iga~ion~which detected combustible gases greater than the lower explosive limit of methane (5 per- cent by volume) in the soil adjacent to the landfill. In response to concern about the explosion hazard, the gas collection system began to operate continuously on August 15. The Minnesota Department of Health was alerted to the pro- blem on August 13, 1980 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and both agencies were invited to attend a special City Council meeting on August 15, 1980 at Ramsey to discuss the potential public health risk from the migration of landfill products.