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01/09/2008: "SJI Transfer Station May Get A Roof"

On Tuesday the County Council was informed Public Works has hired a consultant to review the “tipping floor” at the SJ Island transfer station as the first step to bringing it into compliance with the Health Department and the state Department of Ecology.

A roof over the dumping area (the “tipping floor”) was removed in 2005 ( previous story) after Public Works noted it had received damage over the years, and asked the Town of Friday Harbor to inspect it, which they did, and then informed PW that it should be removed or repaired. Town Administrator King Fitch said he then received a call from Public Works Director Jon Shannon that the roof would be removed.

Once the roof was removed the facility was out of compliance. Both the County and the State have granted extensions to the County over the years, and now PW plans to address the problem; but how and when was not explained to the Council.

The comments were made during a progress update on the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) schedule that is being conducted on the current site and proposed new sites for a transfer station; a process that is now expected to last at the least until March of 2009, at which time a Final EIS will be completed. This would be the first step in a permitting process for a Conditional Use Permit to construct a new transfer station on San Juan; that is, if one of the proposed sites is selected.