Supervisors authorize application and acceptance of integrated waste management grants

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted March 2 to authorize the application and subsequent acceptance of fiscal year 2005-06 Enforcement Assistance Grant money from the California Integrated Waste Management Board.

The county’s Department of Environmental Health will apply for $37,000 in grants. The grant money, if awarded, will be used to acquire and replace equipment, to train personnel, and to obtain technical support.

The Department of Environmental Health is the local enforcement agency for permitting, inspection, and enforcement on all solid waste sites throughout San Diego County with the exception of the City of San Diego. In addition to permitting landfills, it inspects active, inactive, and closed landfills for compliance with state regulation as well as permitting and inspecting transfer stations, composting and green waste chip and grand operations, construction demolition facilities, and inert processing facilities. The Department of Environmental Health permits and inspects more than 80 solid waste facilities for compliance.

The Department of Environmental Health has received California Integrated Waste Management Board funds each year since fiscal year 1990-91, and in the past the funding has purchased inspection vehicles, landfill gas analyzers, noise meters, communications equipment, and field monitoring equipment and has provided training for field and permit staff.

If the Department of Environmental Health is awarded the $37,000 grant, $5,000 would be expended on a student intern who would handle data management, administration of the grant, and project tracking and another $5,000 would be earmarked for technical and consulting services including sampling, laboratory analysis, engineering, and legal support. Another $7,000 would be spent on technical training and travel meeting costs, and the final $20,000 would be used to enhance communication, documentation, and enforcement capabilities with such items as global positioning system devices, digital cameras, combustible gas analyzers, vehicle maintenance, field monitoring equipment and supplies, and office equipment.