Juneau residents have until Christmas to send in comments about the potential environmental impacts of a proposed municipal compost facility. They’re outlined in an environmental assessment released in late November. The 30-day public comment period is open through Dec. 25 and is one of the first steps needed for the city to move the project forward. The facility is initially being funded by federal dollars. Last December, $2.5 million for its design and construction was earmarked in the $1.7 trillion spending bill passed by Congress. The facility has a long way to go before construction begins. It’s estimated it won’t open to the public until 2027 at the earliest and could cost upwards of $7 million, according to Dianna Robinson, an environmental project specialist for the city’s Engineering and Public Works Department. Robinson said once up and running though, it could divert 22% of the annual waste stream from Juneau’s only landfill. That’s needed – the privately owned Capitol Disposal Landfill in the Lemon Creek area is only expected to last around 20 more years. “The Assembly’s goal is to divert as much from the landfill, both for the environmental impacts but also to extend the life of our landfill,” she said. The two to five-acre facility is proposed at the former Lemon Creek gravel pit. According to the environmental assessment released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, no significant environmental impacts are anticipated. Juneau resident Lisa Daugherty is the owner of Juneau Composts. It’s a privately owned compost facility she’s run for the past seven years. The business has been leasing CBJ land in Lemon Creek for its efforts since 2019. It’s a short walk away from the proposed site. Daugherty has expressed concerns about what the new facility will mean for her business and fears it could put her out of work. Recently, she created a petition asking the city to put out a request for proposals and ideally chose her to collaborate with on the design and construction process. So far it has gained 670 signatures. However, the city plans to wait until the project is complete before finding a partner. Daugherty said that’s far too late. “I can’t continue to operate my business in this unknown if someone else is gonna get that contract in a few years,” she said. “It puts me in this space where I can’t continue to invest in my business unless I know if I’m that partner or not.” Robinson said the city is aware of Daugherty’s concerns, however, she said it is too early in the process to begin seeking out a private business to contract with. “We’re very confident that we’re going to be contracting it out to a private entity to run, just like we do with our recycling and our household hazardous waste,” she said. “But really, right now, what it boils down to is that we’re just nowhere near ready for something like that.”
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