Item Description:
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Adopt the 2024 -2029 Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan
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WHEREAS:
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WHEREAS, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan 2022-2042 establishes the framework for managing the Twin Cities metropolitan area's solid waste for the next 20 years in accordance with the requirements of Minn. Stat. § 473.149, guides the development and activities of solid waste management which must be followed by the counties in the metro area, and supports the goals of the Waste Management Act hierarchy, improving public health, reducing the reliance on landfills, conserving energy and natural resources, and reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute § 473.803 requires metropolitan counties to prepare solid waste management plans every six years that implement the state’s Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan and that includes strategies for complying with the recycling requirements of Minnesota Statute § 115A.551; and
WHEREAS, the county is committed to achieving a zero-waste future and has defined zero waste as preventing 90% or more of all discarded materials from being landfilled or incinerated; and
WHEREAS, the county’s Climate Action Plan set one of the most ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets among climate leaders and included bold strategies on preventing food waste, tackling plastics pollution, and advocating for state leadership on zero-waste policies; and
WHEREAS, the Plan to Reinvent Hennepin County’s Solid Waste System and Zero Waste Plan identify the highest impact actions, provide a roadmap for implementation, accelerate progress toward zero waste and closure and repurposing of the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), establish a dashboard with criteria to be met to responsibly close HERC, and serve as the foundation of the 2024 Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the county’s Solid Waste Management Plan far exceeds the minimum requirements of the Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan; therefore
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the 2024-2029 Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan be adopted.
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Background:
Hennepin County, like all metro area counties, must submit a county-specific plan to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that implements the Metro Solid Waste Policy Plan (metro policy plan) (Minn. Stat. § 473.803). The metro policy plan and the county-specific plan that must follow it, must align with the state goals to reduce waste, increase recycling, and abate landfilling. (Minn. Stat. §§ 115A.02, 473.149, 473.803). The Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan (county solid waste plan) complies with these statutory mandates, covers solid waste planning for the period of 2024-2029, and advances a zero-waste future.
In 2021, the county adopted its Climate Action Plan. Hennepin County was the first county in the state to have a climate action plan and set one of the most ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets among climate leaders. The Hennepin County Climate Action Plan includes bold strategies on preventing food waste, tackling plastics pollution, and advocating for state leadership on zero-waste policies.
Also in 2021, Hennepin County commissioned a Zero Waste Plan to define what it will take to get to a future that doesn’t rely on landfilling or incineration. Staff led an extensive planning and engagement process that spanned nearly two years and centered the voices of community members and organizations traditionally not engaged in solid waste planning. Research for the Zero Waste Plan provided a gaps analysis of our solid waste system compared with national and international zero-waste leaders. The 62 actions included in the Zero Waste Plan were informed by data and driven by the community to achieve maximum impact.
The state goal is to achieve a 75% recycling rate by 2030. The county is committed to achieving a zero-waste future and has defined zero waste as preventing 90% or more of all discarded materials from being landfilled or incinerated. The Climate Action Plan, the Zero Waste Plan and this definition serve as the foundation of the county solid waste plan.
After the Zero Waste Plan was finalized, the county board sought additional information on the county’s waste-to-energy facility and its role in the solid waste system. During the next six months, the county board reviewed a significant amount of information on legal, financial, and environmental factors associated with the county’s solid waste system.
These discussions resulted in the Plan to Reinvent Hennepin County’s Solid Waste System by aggressively pursuing zero-waste policies, programming, and infrastructure and advocating for policy changes at the state level to move toward zero waste and make meaningful progress toward reducing climate emissions. The plan includes zero-waste legislative platform priorities, 12 prioritized zero-waste actions, and a zero-waste dashboard to track progress toward responsibly closing and repurposing the HERC.
The county’s zero-waste priorities not only address most of the strategies in the metro policy plan, they go further. By continuing our existing programs and initiatives, the county fulfills the required strategies and far exceeds the minimum requirement of 75 points for optional strategies. The county solid waste plan incorporates 52 strategies totaling 148 points.
To facilitate public involvement in the development of the county solid waste plan, staff built from the broad base of learning from the development of the Zero Waste Plan, gathered further input on the implementation of prioritized zero-waste actions with cities and haulers, conducted a representative survey of county residents about their opinions on recycling programs and level of support for zero-waste actions, and leveraged existing outreach opportunities with partners, such as the Trusted Messengers participants. A draft of the plan was made available for public comment between August 13 and September 4, 2024. The county received 86 comments from cities, environmental advocacy groups and residents. Key findings from public feedback and a summary of changes made to the plan based on feedback is available at www.BeHeardHennepin.org/solid-waste-plan.
The county’s plan must be approved by the board and submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency no later than October 29, 2024.
Current Request:
This request is seeking adoption of the county's 2024-2029 Solid Waste Management Plan to comply with Minn. Stat. § 473.803 and the requirement to prepare and submit a solid waste management plan to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for approval; meet the requirements of Minn. Stat. §§ 115A.551, 115A.96, 473.149, 473.803, and 473.848; and fulfill county responsibilities for planning and managing an integrated solid waste system.
Impact/Outcomes:
This plan outlines Hennepin County’s vision of a reinvented solid waste system: a zero-waste future where less waste is created in the first place, where everyone shares responsibility, and where everyone benefits from easily accessible services. This system has widespread participation in programs and social norms that align with zero waste.
Ultimately, the success of this plan will be determined by the level of systemic change: state leadership on zero-waste policies; funding and infrastructure development that matches the scope of the challenges and the ambition of the goals; ability for counties, cities, agencies and environmental advocates to align efforts; and actions by businesses and residents to make zero waste a reality. This will result in a circular economy, ensure an equitable system, and achieve climate and zero-waste goals.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval