Environmental / Continual Improvements

The Environmental Management System is a program developed by the NBP to improve the quality of biosolids management programs nationwide and to promote public acceptance of biosolids use and disposal practices. The City has made significant progress in environmental and continual improvements in several areas such as environmental leadership, best management practices and public outreach. The City certified two Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) for its biosolids management program. These EIR’s established criteria for the City to use when selecting offsite biosolids use and disposition management options.
Click the links below to view the final EIR’s.

• Final EIR Biosolids Program Managment-1996
• Final EIR Offsite Sludge Transportation and Disposal Program-1989 (to view a copy of this EIR please contact us via the information listed below)

The City recently undertook an evaluation of Section 15168 (c)of the CEQA guidelines to determine if additional CEQA review was required as a result of the purchase of the farm, Green Acres and the extension of the contract with our land applier, RBM. An addendum was prepared for the two EIR’s listed above. The addendum shows that the two actions: purchase of Green Acres Farm and the extension of RBM contract did not cause any new or different impacts as compared to the impacts that have all ready been evaluated under CEQA or any new significant or substantially more severe impacts requiring a supplemental review. As a result there is no requirement for any further environmental documentation under CEQA.
Listed below are documents supporting the findings discussed in the addendum. Click the link to view the document.

• Addendum to 1989 and 1996 Biosolids EIRs
• Green Acres Farm Air Quality Analysis (Transportation)
• Green Acres Farm Air Quality Analysis (Land Application)
• Green Acres Farm Noise Analysis
• Assessment of Air Emission Analysis for Transporting Biosolids to Alternate Beneficial Use Sites

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
The City has been on the cutting edge in developing and implementing programs for biosolids management that have established us an environmental leader. Since 1989 we have established a beneficial recycling program that has met all applicable regulatory requirements and provided environmental benefits. We are continuously investigating and developing environmentally sound management options and looking for ways to improve our program. We were the second agency in the nation to implement and have our biosolids environmental management system audited and certified, and were the first large agency to produce Class A exceptional quality biosolids. We are also the first agency to implement a pilot project to inject biosolids underground to produce a renewable energy. To view the road to Class A biosolids click the link below.

• Class A Process

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
The City requires that our contractors use the California Water Environment Association Manual (CWEA) of Good Practice for the Land Application of Biosolids as a best management tool when transporting and applying biosolids. To ensure that the CWEA requirements are adhered to and that the contractor is following best management practices, the City has a dedicated inspector who inspects the activities of the land applier at Green Acres and other land application sites used by the City. Also, to ensure that farming activities are done in an environmentally sound manner, an on-site farm manager monitors the farm operations and biosolids activities daily. Farm meetings are held monthly with the farmer, land applier, transport company, and City staff. Site inspections at Green Acres are performed weekly and reports are generated.

• December 2007 Site Inspection Report

CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS
Continual improvements to the City’s Biosolids Management Program is essential if we want to continue our successful program. Each year the City reviews the program and based on regulatory changes, best management practices, audit results, comments, and suggestions, we implement improvements. Improvements can be in any area of the program. View the documents below to find out about some of the program improvements.

• 2007 Biosolids EMS Performance Report
• May 2008 Management Review Summary
• Biosolids Program Continual Improvements

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