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Article I: 4th Street Steam Line Repairs Set to Begin 05/10/2019
Article II: Earth Week Activities - EarthFest
Earth Week Activities - Arbor Day
Earth Week Activities - Litter Bit Better
Article III: Environmental Commission 2019 Work Plan
Article IV: Borrow A Recycling Bin for Large Events
Article V: Olmsted County Offers Compost
Article VI: Dates Set for 2019 Household Hazardous Waste Mobile Collections
Article VII: Disposal Discussion: Grass Clippings, Forget the Bagger
Project
The Olmsted Waste-to-Energy Facility (OWEF) supplies steam for heating and cooling to buildings on the Olmsted County District Energy System (DES). Nearly two miles of pipe connects the OWEF to buildings on the western end of the DES. These buildings include the Olmsted County Government Center, Work Release Center, Rochester City Hall, Rochester Public Library, Rochester Art Center, and Mayo Civic Center. Most of the connecting pipe is buried underneath 4th Street SE in Rochester.
Leaks have been discovered at various locations along the 26-year-old steam line causing plumes of steam to rise out of manholes at several locations. Repairs are necessary.
Project Timeline & Impacts
On Friday, May 10, 2019, repair work is expected to begin along 4th Street SE between 6th Avenue SE and 14th Avenue SE in Rochester. The project is expected to last until Monday, June 10, 2019. Excavation and inspection work will be localized to the eastbound right lane. The following intersections will be impacted:
- 4th Street SE and 6th Avenue SE
- 4th Street SE and 7th Avenue SE
- 4th Street SE and 11th Avenue SE
- 4th Street SE and 13th Avenue SE – 13th Avenue will be CLOSED at this intersection
- 4th Street SE and 14th Avenue SE
Traffic traveling eastbound on 4th Street SE will be restricted to one lane. Westbound traffic will not be affected. Pedestrian access along the south side of 4th Street SE will be interrupted as the sidewalk will be closed at various locations. Access to residents’ driveways will not be affected. Please note, inclement weather and unforeseen issues can impact the project timeline.
Q & A Opportunity
If you have further questions, join us at the OWEF on Thursday, May 2, 2019, between 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. The OWEF is located at 301 Silver Creek Road NE, Rochester, MN 55906. Brief tours will also be offered. For more information, call 507-328-7070 or email pwservice@co.olmsted.mn.us.
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EarthFest
The 5th annual EarthFest kicked off Monday, April 22, 2019, and will run through Sunday, April 28, 2019. As in years past, this week-long celebration will feature a lineup of environmentally themed events around Rochester. The week's main event is the EarthFest Expo which will take place Saturday, April 27th at the Rochester Community and Technical College Field House. The event will run from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
This year's Expo will feature:
- Interactive displays
- Exhibitors
- Speakers
- Children's activities
- Performances
- Electric cars
- Bikes
At noon, retired journalist and former WCCO-TV news anchor Don Shelby will give a keynote address on "building green." At 2:00 PM, the Citizen's Utility Board will give an interactive presentation detailing practices and tips to make homes more energy efficient.
For more information visit EarthFest's website.
Arbor Day Celebration
Rochester Public Utilities will host the 17th annual Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 26, 2019. The event will be held at Three Links - Silver Lake Park from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM.
The festivities include:
- Free admission
- Free hot dogs, chips, corn on the cob, cookies, and soda
- 2019 Arbor Day Poster Contest Award Ceremony
- Live music from PK MAYO TRIO (formerly known as Paul Mayasich and his band, American Made Music)
- Free trees
- Giveaways
- Activities and games
Prizes will be given to participants who stop by the Environmental Resources booth to "give recycling a shot." In the event of rain, the celebration will be moved indoors to Rochester Community and Technical College's Field House. For more information, visit RPU's website.
Help Make Rochester a Litter Bit Better
A Mickey Mouse flag, $10 cash, a Vanilla Ice t-shirt, and a box of packaged sandwiches. What do these things have in common? They are just a few of the odd things found in Rochester during the last 12 years of litter clean-ups during the annual Help Make Rochester A Litter Bit Better! event. What will our volunteers find this year? So far, over 135 tons of litter has been collected by thousands of citizens since the program began in 2007.
This year’s event will be April 27 – May 5. Volunteers are encouraged to collect litter anytime during that week. Trash and recycling bags are provided, all you need to do is pick a location, pick a date, and pick it up! Registration information, maps, and more can be found at www.RNeighbors.org/litterbitbetter. Participants can help encourage others to participate by sharing photos of their group in action on social media using the tag #litterbitbetter.
The annual work plan for the Olmsted County Environmental Commission was approved by the County Board at their March 19 Committee of the Whole meeting. The projects set forth in the work plan for the Environment Commission are:
1. An Assessment of Nitrate in Groundwater
Goals
- Provide an assessment of nitrate contamination in Olmsted County
- Identify aquifer areas where it may no longer be feasible to construct new wells that are free of nitrate, and assess the need to modify the County's Well Construction Ordinance
- Utilize the nitrate assessment to develop a public outreach plan
 Targeted Township Nitrate Testing
2) County Land Use Evaluation System (CLUES) Model Update
Goals
- Ensure the most up-to-date GIS data is being evaluated
- Take into account new information not previously available
- Add new components the County Board deems relevant to land-use determination
- The CLUES Model update alerts Planning staff and decision makers to sensitive environmental features that must be protected from adverse land-use impacts
 CLUES Model
3) Solid Waste Management Updates
Goals
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Utilize knowledge gained through periodic updates to provide input, review and make recommendations on ordinances, policy and plans to the County Board
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Host public meetings to get input on proposed ordinances, policies and plans
 Olmsted County's Integrated Solid Waste Management System
If you would like to attend these meetings to listen and learn about any of these topics, the meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month at the 2122 Building on Campus Drive SE. The agendas and minutes can be found here: http://olmstedcountymn.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx. Agendas are posted the Friday before the meeting. Contact the Olmsted County Environmental Resources Department at pwservice@co.olmsted.mn.us or 507-328-7070 if you have questions.
Graduation parties and family reunions are right around the corner! If you're in need of recycling containers, check out Olmsted County's "Borrow-A-Bin" program. The Environmental Resources Department has Clear-Stream recycling bins available for your event. One bag per day will be provided for each bin you use. There is no fee to you so long as the bins are returned (undamaged) the next weekday following your event.
Always keep a trash can next to your recycling containers so your guests know to separate garbage from recyclables. You are responsible for recycling all the items collected. If interested in borrowing a bin, email pwservice@co.olmsted.mn.us to see if any bins are available for your desired date(s)/times.
 One of the recycling bins in use at Rochesterfest (the plastic drink cup should not be in this bin); photo credit: Anthony Wittmer
Grab your buckets and shovel! It's now easier than ever to get finished compost from the Olmsted County Compost Site. Great for enhancing growth and retaining water in your flower beds and gardens, compost can be self-loaded any day of the week during daylight hours.
There is no fee for the compost, however, donation boxes are available on-site for residents and businesses who wish to support the Compost Site's Daily operations. The Compost Site is located across the street from the Recycling Center Plus - 305 Silver Creek Rd NE, Rochester, MN 55906.
Suggested Donation Rates
- $0.50 / 5-gallon bucket
- $5.00 / car load
- $20.00 / pickup or trailer load
Bulk Loads
April - November: An Olmsted County employee is available to load vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 lbs. (or greater) for a fee of $15.00 per ton or $12.00 per cubic yard from 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Monday - Friday.
December - March: Bulk loading is available by request only; residents should call 507 328-7070 to schedule an appointment.
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 Traffic flows one way through the Compost Site
With the potential to be especially harmful to people and the environment, it's important that hazardous materials are disposed of properly through a permitted facility/program. In our area, residents are encouraged to bring hazardous materials to the Olmsted County Hazardous Waste Facility (HWF) Monday - Saturday, from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
As an additional service, staff from the HWF, along with community volunteers and staff from neighboring counties, host annual household hazardous waste collections for the following communities in Olmsted County:
Oronoco
Tuesday, May 7 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Oronoco Community Center
115 2nd St NW, Oronoco, MN 55960
Stewartville
Tuesday, June 4 | 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM | St. John's Lutheran Church
111 2nd Ave NE, Stewartville, MN 55976
Eyota-Dover
Tuesday, July 30 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | High School - East Parking Lot
615 South Ave, Eyota, MN 55934
Byron
Tuesday, August 27 | 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM | Byron Fire Hall
707 Frontage Rd NW, Byron, MN 55920
Chatfield
Tuesday, September 10 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Chatfield City Garage
Alley off Main St between 3rd & 4th St, Chatfield, MN 55923
Ag waste pesticides CANNOT be accepted at these mobile collections. However, these wastes are accepted at the HWF. In addition, businesses CANNOT use this collection program. Visit our website to see which items you can and can't bring to a collection event.
 A resident drops off paint at a previous Household Hazardous Waste Collection in Stewartville; photo credit: Anthony Wittmer
Maintaining a yard takes long enough. Save yourself some time and effort by allowing your grass clippings to decompose on your lawn. "As a general rule, grass clippings of an inch or less in length can be left on your lawn where they will filter down to the soil surface and decompose quickly," states the University of Minnesota (U of M) Extension. Keeping your grass clippings on-site has noticeable benefits:
- Grass clippings are a valuable source of nitrogen so you'll save on fertilizer costs
- You won't have to worry about bringing your clippings to a compost site so you'll save time
- The organic content in the grass clippings can improve your soil if it is sandy, heavy clay, or low in organic matter
In some instances, removing the clippings may be recommended—excessively long clippings can mat together and smother the grass beneath. However, regular mowing will reduce the need to do this.
It's important to remember to sweep grass clippings out of the curb and back onto your lawn as the clippings can travel through storm drains and impair water quality. To learn more, read the U of M Extension's full article.
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