Part of the Rapid City solid waste facility could be leased to Colorado Energy Recyclers – kotatv.com

Report on Proposed Waste-to-Energy Initiative in Rapid City

Project Overview and Strategic Objectives

The Rapid City Council is evaluating a proposal to lease a portion of its solid waste facility to Colorado Energy Recyclers. This initiative follows a memorandum of understanding established in the previous year to investigate the feasibility of converting municipal landfill waste into alternative fuel. The primary objective is to reduce landfill dependency and promote sustainable energy production, marking a significant step in the city’s environmental strategy.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The proposed project directly supports several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its focus on environmental stewardship, economic sustainability, and community well-being.

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • The initiative aims to create a new source of alternative fuel by repurposing materials from the municipal waste stream.
   • This contributes to increasing the share of alternative energy in the regional energy mix.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The project will enhance the city’s capacity for sustainable municipal waste management.
   • By reducing the volume of waste sent to the landfill, it mitigates the long-term environmental impact of the city on its surrounding land.
   • It fosters economic resilience by creating a new revenue stream for a public utility.

3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • This initiative embodies the principles of a circular economy by transforming waste into a valuable resource.
   • According to Assistant Public Works Director Stacey Titus, “we are not burying that material; it will be repurposed and used as alternative fuel,” which directly addresses the goal of substantially reducing waste generation.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Diverting organic and other materials from landfills can reduce the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
   • The production of alternative fuel can help displace the use of fossil fuels, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.

Economic and Environmental Impacts

The project is anticipated to yield significant benefits for both the local economy and the environment.

• Environmental Impact: The primary environmental benefit is the reduction in landfill use, which preserves land and minimizes long-term pollution risks associated with waste burial.
• Economic Impact: A new revenue stream will be generated for the city’s solid waste department. As noted by Titus, this additional income can “take that pressure off of our customers to not have to pay as much,” as the department is currently funded by ratepayers. This diversifies the department’s funding and enhances its financial sustainability.

Next Steps

A public hearing on the proposed lease agreement has been scheduled by the City Council to ensure community engagement and transparency. The hearing will take place on August 18 at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses a proposal in Rapid City to convert landfill waste into alternative fuel. This initiative connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focused on sustainable energy, urban sustainability, and responsible consumption and production patterns.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The project’s core objective is to create “alternative fuel” from waste, directly contributing to the goal of increasing sustainable energy sources.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The initiative is a municipal action by Rapid City to improve its “solid waste facility” and “waste management,” which is a key aspect of creating sustainable urban environments. The article explicitly mentions reducing the “environmental impact” of the city.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: By “cutting down landfill use” and repurposing waste material, the project promotes sustainable management and efficient use of resources, which is central to this goal. The plan aims to move away from a linear model of “burying this material” towards a circular one where waste is repurposed.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific actions described in the article, the following targets are relevant:

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article supports this target by describing a plan to create “alternative fuel” from solid waste, which represents a form of renewable energy derived from waste materials.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The article directly addresses this target by highlighting the city’s effort to improve “waste management” and reduce its environmental impact by “not burying that material.”

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The project’s goal to have waste “repurposed and used as alternative fuel” instead of being landfilled is a direct application of recycling and reuse principles to reduce the final volume of waste.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several indicators that could be used to track the success of the project and its contribution to the identified targets:

For Target 11.6 and 12.5:

• Amount of waste diverted from landfills: The article emphasizes that a key benefit is “not burying that material.” Measuring the volume or tonnage of waste that is repurposed by Colorado Energy Recyclers instead of being sent to the landfill would be a direct indicator of progress.
• Proportion of municipal solid waste recycled/repurposed: This is a standard indicator for waste management performance. The success of the project can be measured by the percentage of Rapid City’s total solid waste that is converted into alternative fuel.

For Target 7.2:

• Quantity of alternative fuel produced: The primary output of the new operation will be “alternative fuel.” Measuring the amount of fuel produced would be a clear indicator of the project’s contribution to the energy supply.

Economic Indicator:

• Revenue generated from waste repurposing: The article mentions that the project will “create an extra stream of revenue for the city’s solid waste department.” Tracking this new revenue would serve as an indicator of the project’s economic sustainability and its success in taking the financial “load off residents.”

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kotatv.com