Napa Valley, Calif., Implements Waste-By-Rail Program

WORLD WASTES STAFF

American Canyon, Calif. - California's Napa Valley is exporting more than wine these days. It's also the starting point for a new waste-by-rail program that, ultimately, will serve millions of Californians.

The South Napa Waste Management Authority, which includes the City of Vallejo, the City of Napa and Napa County, Calif., has joined forces with Rabanco Companies, Seattle, and Burlington Northern Inc., Southern Pacific Lines and California Northern railroads. Each year, the new system reportedly will haul 200,000 tons of solid waste 710 miles to the Roosevelt Regional landfill in the southeastern Washington desert (see map).

The communities formed the authority to construct a transfer station and an intermodal rail yard where waste can be loaded into containers and put on rail cars. The new service allows the authority to close the nearby American Canyon landfill, one of the oldest in California, located on the edge of San Pablo Bay.

"We're an example of what happens when governments stop complaining about their garbage problems and join together to do something about them," said Vince Ferriole, a Napa County supervisor and president of the authority.

The authority will pay approximately $52 per ton for the operation of the transfer station, the rail transportation and disposal. The contract lasts 10 years, with the opportunity to extend for two additional five-year periods.

Klickitat County, Wash., receives fees for each ton of solid waste delivered to the Roosevelt landfill. Last year, the county reportedly received more than $4 million in fees from other railhaul waste projects. The county's general fund budget is approximately $4.5 million.

Waste-by-rail transportation represents the largest single percentage of revenue growth by one commodity in the past two years, according to the Progressive Railroading.

Although this reportedly is the first waste-by-rail program to be implemented in California, several other California localities are investigating rail strategies for their post-recycled solid waste.

Acquisition United Waste Systems Inc., Greenwich, Conn., has acquired Gallagher's Service Inc., Blaine, Minn.; N.J. Mensing Enterprises Inc., Blue Earth, Minn.; Benson Brothers Disposal Inc., Averill Park, N.Y.; and Leahy Waste Disposal Systems Inc., Jefferson, Mass.

Agreement Safety-Kleen Corp., Elgin, Ill., has agreed to manage the waste-derived fuel programs at the Holnam Inc. plant in Artesia, Miss., and the River Cement Co. plant in Festus, Mo.

Award The Preston, Conn., waste-to-energy facility operated by American Ref-Fuel Co., Houston, has been designated a Star worksite by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Contracts West Hartford, Conn., has contracted with GreenCycle Inc., Northfield, Ill., to lease and renovate an abandoned transfer station. Camp Dresser & McKee Inc., Cambridge, Mass., has been contracted to design the Waukesha County, Wis., materials recovery facility expansion which will double the capacity to 28,000 square feet.

Parsons Engineering Science Inc., Pasadena, Calif., has received a remedial design and preconstruction services contract for the Lowry Landfill Superfund site located near Denver.

Pencor Environmental Ventures Inc., Baltimore, has contracted with Kvaerner Hymac Corp., Roswell, Ga., Morse Diesel International, New York, N.Y., and Sea Crest Construction Co., Freeport, N.Y., to build a waste paper recycling and deinking facility in Bow, N.H.

Distributor FleetNet Inc., Elkhart, Ind., has been named the Midwest distributor for Clarion Rear Vision Systems Inc., Gardena, Calif.

Grants The California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento, Calif., will approved funding for the cleanup of the Booker waste tire site in Fresno County, the Hall waste tire site in Los Angeles County, the Round Valley illegal dumping sites in Mendocino County and an abandoned steel mill site in Alameda County.

Joint Venture Galbreath Inc., Winamac, Ind., has joined with Motocargadores Seaman S.A.C.V. and GH Maquinaira y Equipo S.A. de C.V., to form Galbreath Mexico S.A. de C.V.

Market Assessment GBB, Falls Church, Va., has been selected by Clean Washington Center, a division of the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, to conduct a market assessment of construction, demolition and landclearing debris.

New Address The National Recycling Coalition has relocated. The new address is: 1727 King St., Suite 105, Alexandria, Va. 22314-2720. (703) 683-9025. Fax: (703) 683-9026.

New Logo Lindemann Recycling Equipment Inc., Charlotte, N.C. has redesigned its company logo.

New Office GATX EnviroLease Corp., Morristown, N.J., a subsidiary of GATX Capital Corp., has established a regional office in Los Angeles.

Project Completion The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, Fla., and Polk County, Fla., have completed the remediation of a 20-acre waste tire site in Polk City, Fla.