MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and Water MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and Water Planning Ahead for Municipal Disaster Debris Management Eric Hamlin Division of Materials Management MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and Water

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Management Topics Advantages of preplanning Benefits of coordination Temporary debris management area siting and general guidance Debris processing Preauthorization process

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Advantages of Preplanning Can reduce health and environmental impacts Can increase efficiency for you and other agencies May help if seeking Federal reimbursement

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Benefits of Coordination May be able to share space or services with another community or agency DEP will share info with MEMA, FEMA, MDOT to help with regional planning May help with cost reimbursement – contact MEMA/FEMA to discuss

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Temporary Debris Management: Siting Reminder: Only for emergency use – formal declaration or case by case approval by DEP Municipally/publicly owned property preferred Use existing facilities if possible Sites must be accessible during extreme weather events

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Temporary Debris Management: Siting Large, open sites with pavement, firm gravel or soil Accessible to heavy trucks and equipment Avoid evacuation routes Avoid densely populated areas, hospitals, schools

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Temporary Debris Management: Siting Avoid sensitive areas like watershed protection areas, drinking water supplies, wetlands or water bodies, fragile ecosystems, significant wildlife habitat Consider impact from traffic, dust, noise, odor

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Site Guidance - putrescible waste Putrescible waste = MSW, Food, Carcasses 500’ to nearest residence Store in covered, leak proof containers Maximum 7 day storage No on site disposal High priority waste!

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Site Guidance - general 100’ to nearest on-site residence 100’ to water bodies or wetlands 100’ from closed landfill waste boundary 250’ to nearest off-site residence 250’ from off site commercial/public structures or water supply wells

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Site Guidance - general Not within A or V zones on Flood Insurance Rate Map Relatively level (<5% slopes) Storage in containers or on pavement preferred 30 day limit on storage

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Site Guidance - general Watch out for utilities such as gas, waste, sewage, electrical, communications, etc. including overhead lines Avoid cemeteries or other culturally or historically sensitive areas Control stormwater run on and run off

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Site Guidance - general Control odor and dust Traffic control for safety No liquids or hazardous materials – consider other locations Separate waste by type based on processing/disposal

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Processing Space for processing operations Woody material – saw logs to mills, other wood ground for fuel, mulch, erosion control Sorted clean demo wood for fuel chips Sorted metal to recyclers

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Processing May bring in a mobile grinder for processing wood May use standard outlets or contractors, but consider capacity – set up contingency plan Store to keep material suitable for end use

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Debris Processing Grinding or chipping is preferred over burning. If you plan to burn: 50’ mineral fire break 100’ from fire break to structures Burn area </= 625 square feet Continuous supervision until extinguished Ash must be removed/properly disposed

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Preauthorization Fill out form and send to DEP to begin discussion DEP offers feedback based on regulations, files, info from other agencies, possibly GIS info May visit site for further discussion

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Preauthorization Debris sites/plans approved informally by letter DEP shares info with other agencies Remember to periodically review and update with DEP as needed Remember to contact MEMA and FEMA for additional guidance!

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Contact information Portland: Eric Hamlin Randy McMullin Augusta: Mike Parker Bangor: Cyndi Darling Karen Knuuti

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION