STATE GOVERNMENT QUALIFICATIONS
California Department of Conservation—Reengineering of the State’s Recycling Program
This multi-year engagement developed a blueprint plan to improve performance of the State of California’s ten-year-old $350 million a year recycling program, the only one of its kind in the United States. The scope of work included performing a review and evaluation of the State’s present recycling program, and developing new future state program alternatives which would improve the performance of the program into the next millennium. Tasks included facilitation of an interagency advisory group of top level government officials, briefing the California State Legislature, performing over 100 structured industry interviews, leading industry focus groups, holding public workshops, and coordinating consumer surveys. The project proposed a major overhaul and redesign of the State’s program, taking a free-market approach while still internalizing the cost of recycling. The report served as the first step in a rewrite of California’s beverage-container redemption law from top to bottom. The report was featured in a national Wall Street Journal article that depicted innovative leadership trends in California. The project principles have had a successful track record of providing several million dollars of management consulting to this department over the last ten years.
California Department of Conservation—Determine the Costs of Alternative Recycling Programs
The goal of this project was to determine the average statewide costs, per container and material type, of various recycling programs. These programs included automated recycling programs, staffed recycling programs, nonprofit drop-off programs, curbside collection programs, material recovery facilities, and bar/restaurant collection programs. A law passed in California which required the DOC to (1) conduct a study on alternative methods of funding for, and expansion of, curbside programs, (2) provide a summary of the funds used to support these programs, and (3) calculate the average monthly volumes per household collected by curbside programs. A report on the program was due to the Legislature by April 1, 1994. We also assisted with the recycling cost section of the June 30, 1993 Annual Report that would be delivered to the California Legislature.
California Energy Commission—Landfill Technical Assistance
NewPoint Group professionals provided technical assistance to the County of Del Norte. The objectives of this engagement were to: (1) determine financing techniques for funding closure of the county’s landfill and construction of a new landfill and transfer station and (2) determine the economics of a modular incinerator burning up to 50 tons-per-day of County municipal solid waste.
California Energy Commission—Tipping Fee Technical Assistance
NewPoint Group professionals provided technical assistance to the County of Lassen. The objectives of this engagement were to: (1) determine the costs of solid waste management in the County, (2) estimate required tipping fees needed to fund the costs of solid waste management, and (3) prepare five-year projections of the County’s Solid Waste Management operations.
California Energy Commission—Three-Year Refuse Energy Technical Assistance Program
This major project was a three-year technical assistance program to the Energy Efficiency and Local Assistance Division, Local Assistance Office. The program provided technical assistance to local governments assessing and implementing refuse energy and wastewater treatment options. The technical assistance program provided in-kind economic and financial consulting services to California municipalities. The program helped local governments assess and choose energy options, overcome development barriers, and determine if the economics and other basic project components exist for a feasible project. The following local governments were assisted by the program:
For Lassen County, we examined the estimated landfilling costs over a five year period and determined what the tipping fee would be at a restarted Lassen Community College cogeneration (refuse energy) facility. The County landfills included Bass Hill, Westwood, Herlong, Madeline/Ravendale, and Beiber. We identified total budgeted costs of operation/ maintenance, capital outlays (on a "pay-as-you-go basis"), and overhead costs. We then prepared an analysis of the County’s solid waste management budget and prepared projections for the next five years. Material costs included the following:
| Operating costs |
Eastin surcharge (AB 2448) |
| Air monitoring costs |
Fixed asset costs |
| Subchapter 15 water monitoring costs |
Closure and post-closure care costs |
We determined total disposal costs and examined possible financial assurance mechanisms for the County to fund closure and post-closure care.(i.e., issuance of long-term debt, or Certificates of Participation).
For Del Norte County, we examined potential financing techniques for the siting, development, and construction of the new landfill including Certificates of Participation, General Obligation Bonds, Lease Revenue Bonds, Municipal Revenue Bonds, and Variable Rate Bonds.
For Merced County, we evaluated the feasibility of recovering landfill gas (LFG) from the 118,000 ton per year Highway 59 Landfill and selling either the gas or electricity generated by combustion of the gas. As a basis for the evaluation, we estimated the volume and quantity of LFG available, identified potential users and markets for the LFG, estimated costs to recover the gas and covert it to usable energy. We also examined refuse energy as an opportunity to reduce landfilled waste. The County wanted to reduce the current 600 tons per day in order to extend the life of the two County landfills. We evaluated the feasibility of a 500-ton-per-day refuse energy facility that would have increased the system tipping fee to $77 per ton.
We evaluated the feasibility of recovering landfill gas (LFG) from Greer Road Landfill in Stanislaus County and selling either the gas or electricity generated by combustion of the gas. As a basis for the evaluation, we estimated the volume and quantity of LFG available, identified potential users and markets for the LFG, estimated costs to recover the gas and covert it to usable energy.
As a consultant to the Southeast Regional Solid Waste Commission, we assisted in the final technical and economic evaluation of four disposal proposals.
We examined the feasibility of the City of Santa Clara developing its own refuse energy facility and lower the tipping fee. The City had recently negotiated an agreement with a private operator calling for a $30 per ton tipping fee.
For Kern County, we reviewed the economics of a 500 ton per day facility as a way to reduce the approximately 1.1 million tons of refuse generation landfilled. At the time the County was closing China Grade, replacing the landfill with a newly permitted one and adding a large transfer station. Energy from this facility would act as a cheaper source of thermal energy for use in recovering oil through the thermally enhanced oil recovery process.
We evaluated whether a refuse energy facility in Amador County was economically feasible. We reviewed waste flows from the Counties of Amador, Calaveras, and El Dorado and based on an estimated 300 ton per day facility and facility construction costs of over $30 million, the proposed tip fee would rise from Amador tip fees of $6 per ton to $79 per ton. We concluded the project was not economically feasible.
For Calaveras County, we evaluated whether a modular incinerator facility was economically feasible. We reviewed waste flows from the Counties of Amador, Calaveras, and El Dorado and based on an estimated 50 ton per day facility and facility construction costs of over $3 to $4 million, the proposed residential fees would need to be set an $80 to $104 per residential equivalent, an increase of 50 to 100 percent over current fees. Due to the week steam market, we concluded the project was not economically feasible.
We examined five alternatives to replace the existing landfill serving Yuba and Sutter Counties by comparing various technical and economic aspects. The Bi-County area was utilizing a privately owned and operated landfill with 18 months of capacity. The Bi-County Solid Waste Management Board had approved the 261-acre Ostrom Road landfill site; however, this site was blocked by two incorporated cities. Alternatives included the following:
- Enlarge existing landfill
- Close existing landfill and open Ostrom Road
- Close existing landfill, open Ostrom Road, and construct transfer station
- Close existing landfill, open Ostrom Road, and construct refuse energy facility
- Enlarge existing landfill and construct refuse to energy facility.
California Energy Commission—Curbside Recycling Technical Assistance
NewPoint Group professionals provided technical assistance to the City of San Jose. The objective of this engagement was to review the City of San Jose Curbside Recycling Program. Study tasks included (1) Identifying demand and supply markets, (2) Compiling relevant demographic data, (3) Reviewing the current curbside program, including recovery and participation rates, (4) Reviewing and assessing economics of the curbside program, (5) Identifying other recovery efforts that could be used in San Jose, and (6) Preparing economic projections for future recycling programs.
California Integrated Waste Management Board—Plastics White Paper
The goal of this ongoing project for the California Integrated Waste Management Board (Board) is to prepare a report on an appropriate future state California plastics policy. The project is defining current plastics issues, detailing alternatives, and developing comprehensive solutions and policy options for the Board to consider. To generate information to prepare the report, two workshops are planned with key plastics industry stakeholders.
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