Water District Puts Bio-gas Development on Hold Pending Review of Energy Security Goals

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - October 18, 2018

What did the Board decide? 
Since 2015, the MWRD has worked with potential partners to increase bio-gas production and use at Stickney and Calumet plants. Today the Board, at staff’s request, paused the development process, voting not to accept responses to the District’s 2016 and 2017 requests for proposals. 

• Three public speakers, including James D. Harrington, legal counsel for Green SEED Energy, addressed disappointment that the District would summarily abandon plans for these projects, which promised environmental and job benefits to the Calumet Community.  He said SEED had met for years with staff and was blindsided when no proposal was accepted.   
• Commissioner Dunkin asked staff for clarification after removing the items (#11 and 12) from the consent agenda.
• Commissioner Shore questioned why the District was reversing a project compatible with its energy-neutrality goal.  
• Acting Executive Director John Murray said the District did not wish to pursue individual projects without an over-arching policy in place. He said staff would work with the Board to formulate policy in the areas of resource recovery, energy security, environment, while considering the District’s own needs for the gas. He’d like the Board to formulate a vision on these topics, starting with a study session in the first quarter of 2019 “and then we can start again,” he said.

What else did the Board discuss?

• There was a resolution and speaker recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness month, introduced by Commissioner McGowen. 

Items to watch for in the Future:  

• Item #47, a request from the Cook County Department of Transportation for an easement to construct a public road across lands leased by the Wilmette Park District, and used as the 10th hole of the Evanston-Wilmette Community Golf Course (Canal Shores), was pulled from the consent agenda by Executive Director Murray.  The road is meant to access a land-locked real estate parcel owned by the Keefe Family Trust. There were numerous comments urging the board to oppose the easement (a vote is expected as soon as the November 1, 2018 meeting).  Representatives of Go Green Wilmette; Friends of the Chicago River; Brian Abbott, commissioner of the Wilmette Park District; Natural Habitat Evanston; and from the Golf Course all spoke against the road. 

Other Comments or Observations:  

• MWRD investments for various district operating funds totaled $850 million on September 30.  Average annual yield on these investments in September was 1.165%.  

Observer: Laurie Morse                         Meeting Length: started at 10:30 and went into Executive Session at noon.