From: YELTON-BRAM Tiffany

Sent: Thu Jul 23 15:27:28 2015

To: 'Susan Hansen'

Cc: DECONCINI Nina; HAMMOND Joni

Subject: Molalla biosolids removal for 2015?b Importance: Normal

Hello Susan

The city of Molalla has been working to locate additional sites for biosolids application and that work has just now culminated in a request to DEQ for site authorization letters. There are a few sites that our biosolids specialist, Pat Heins, will be examining tomorrow.

To recap the process, since the city of Molalla has an approved and current Biosolids Management Plan, if they want to add sites for biosolids application, the city first starts by talking with landowners to determine interest and appropriateness—for example, will the site be planted and will that crop be an appropriate one for beneficial use of the biosolids. Then, before any use of the site and before DEQ’s review and approval, the city notifies, per our rules and their plan, the adjacent properties. In this case, the city did contact all of the adjacent properties and other neighboring properties. They heard back from the residents and off site property owners and as a result took that information into account while creating a proposal for us that includes additional areas of setback to accommodate the comments from neighboring properties.

Now DEQ will assess the sites and may accept, reject or modify the application area with additional setbacks and/or volumes of authorized biosolids applied to the proposed sites. This decision will be sent by letter to the city and once they have an authorization letter for a site, they can apply biosolids in accordance with the site authorization letter, again in conformance with the rules and their plan.

Unlike the Biosolids Management Plan approval process, site approvals process does not require or include a wider public process such as a public review and comment period. We discussed at the time of the Biosolids Management Plan approval that subsequent sites can be added without a general public comment period but I want to repeat this now so you and I both have the same understanding and expectations about the public process that applies to the potential addition of sites.

Some of the sites proposed have been used by other communities in the past for biosolids application. The most recent application of biosolids at these proposed sites was in 2007. They have been in use as farm fields since the last applications. Soil samples are required to be taken if biosolids are applied two out of every three years. Molalla will also be required to adhere to this sampling schedule if these sites are approved. The soil samples collected from these sites as part of the earlier biosolids applications show no concerns but they also do not represent the current status of the soil since the site was farmed for several years.

If these sites are approved, Heard Farms will haul the biosolids and apply them to the fields. The contract for hauling may state the total amount that will be hauled by the company but we don’t get a copy of the contract. At this point in time, DEQ does not have information on the total amount that will be removed or the amount that will be applied to each site because Pat hasn’t completed his work yet. The city will report to us the total amount hauled and the sites that they haul to and amount applied to each site in their year-end report.

Regarding use of the Macksburg Road site, that site is still approved but the city’s preference appears to be application to the proposed sites, if approved.

I will let you know when our response to the city’s proposal is complete and you can request copies via public records request from us at that time.

David Cole and I also did an unannounced site visit to Coleman Ranch this morning to observe the recycled water application. We documented compliance with setbacks and the water was being applied at rates that prevented runoff.

I hope this answers your questions.

Tiffany Yelton Bram

WQ Source Control Manager

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

700 NE Multnomah St., Suite #600

Portland OR 97232

Desk 503 229 5219

Mobile 503 975 0046

From: Susan Hansen [mailto:foxglovefarm@inbox.com]

Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2015 11:06 AM

To: YELTON-BRAM Tiffany

Cc: DECONCINI Nina

Subject: Molalla biosolids removal for 2015?

Hi Tiffany,

You said on the phone you would check to see what plans Molalla is making via Heard Farms hauler to remove biosolids this year. Do you have info about that yet? What site is proposed and how much will be applied? If the Macksburg site is going to be used will there be a test to see if that site needs further enrichment since it was used last year?

Thanks,

Susan Hansen

Bear Creek Recovery