WSR 98-08-059
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY
[Filed March 30, 1998, 3:00 p.m.]
Notice of SEPA Determination
Public Notice and Request for Comments
RE: Land Recovery Inc.'s "Green Mulch" Environmental Excellence Program Agreement
General Description: Our region generates more yard waste than existing facilities can process into compost. We dispose of the excess in landfills, thereby wasting a potential nutrient source and consuming limited landfill capacity. Land Recovery, Incorporated (LRI) has developed a method of partially composting yard waste into "Green Mulch" for application as a soil amendment and nutrient to agricultural crops.
Under Washington's Solid Waste Management Act, chapter 70.95 RCW, partially composted yard waste is considered "solid waste"--subject to disposal permit requirements. LRI's process transforms that "potential waste" into a valuable agricultural product. By authority of chapter 43.21K RCW, LRI and the Department of Ecology (and specified county health departments) can agree that Green Mulch is exempt from the Solid Waste Management Act's definition and requirements, so long as operators of the farms where Green Mulch is land-applied adhere to the agreement's conditions for storing, handling, and applying the product.
This proposed environmental excellence program agreement (EEPA) would not exempt LRI's Green Mulch facilities from applicable statutory, regulatory, or permit requirements. To use the product and benefit from the exemption (1) a farm must be located in a county where officials are parties to the EEPA, and (2) the farm operator must have completed the preapplication work sheet and signed the agricultural partner addendum to the EEPA.
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Determination: The Department of Ecology has determined that the application of Green Mulch to agricultural soils will have no significant adverse environmental impact. Accordingly, the agency has issued a determination of nonsignificance (DNS) for this project.
To Obtain Copies: Electronic copies of the proposed agreement, a fact sheet, and the SEPA checklist and DNS are available via the Internet. From ecology's homepage, "http:www.wa.gov/ecology," link to the "Environmental Excellence Program." Hard copies of these materials are also available; phone Brenda Mercado at (360) 407-6095.
To Comment: Submit specific comments by May 1, 1998, via e-mail or postal mail, to John Williams, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, e-mail jowi461@ecy.wa.gov, phone (360) 407-6968, FAX (360) 407-7157.