Department of Ecology delays force emergency gambit in Pullman

PULLMAN — The city of Pullman issued an emergency declaration Monday after delays from the state began forcing the city to haul its solid waste to another processing facility out of town.

According to a city news release, Pullman annually applies for a Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) permit to haul its solid waste, or biosolids, from the Pullman Wastewater Treatment Plant to local farms for use as fertilizer.

Mayor Glenn Johnson stated in the news release that Pullman filed the application June 20, but the Washington State Department of Ecology still has not reviewed it. City Administrator Mike Urban said that DOE informed Pullman twice this summer that the city’s application was next in line to be reviewed.

Urban said DOE has not given the city a reason the review process has been delayed. He said Pullman is working to find out if other Washington cities are experiencing similar delays.

Since the permit process requires a 30-day public comment period, and with inclement weather approaching, Pullman says hauling biosolids to farms cannot be completed this year.

This will force the city to haul its waste to another processing site.

“By forcing us to no longer haul to a local farmer’s field but now transport and pay for hauling these long distances, could cost us upwards of half a million dollars,” Johnson stated in the news release. “That would impact our city budget, sewer rates, and Washington State University budget that contributes 36.4 percent for the utility’s operational expense.”

The emergency declaration, if ratified by the Pullman City Council today, will allow the city to execute a contract to haul waste to a Lewiston processing facility immediately. Pullman also identified a processing facility in Airway Heights, Wash., as another option. Urban emphasized this is not a health emergency, but it is necessary to avoid overfilling the wastewater treatment plant facility.

Urban said the Pullman Wastewater Treatment Plant has a capacity of 3,500 tons of waste and is currently holding just north of 3,000 tons.

Urban said he is “mortified” that the city now has to focus its efforts on this contingency plan when the DOE application has been submitted, just as it has been for the past 19 years.

“The staff, mayor and I are doing everything in our power to mitigate this emergency on behalf of the community,” he said.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.