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7-22-2009 Bids Sought for Mesquite Landfill Rail Yard - News Article
Construction could begin in early 2010 on a rail spur and intermodal facility at the Mesquite Regional Landfill, where municipal solid waste (MSW) will be received for disposal via California’s first waste-by-rail project. The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County is seeking bids for the construction of the facilities where containerized trash will arrive by train for disposal at the landfill, located about 5 miles east of Glamis.
The project is estimated to cost $65 million and take about a year to complete.
“Construction of the MRL rail spur and intermodal facility is one more major step toward realizing the development of a waste-by-rail system that will be an environmentally responsible, regional solution to solid waste disposal needs,” said Janet Coke, manager of the Sanitation Districts waste-by-rail project.
Announcement of the Mesquite rail project bidding process comes just weeks after the Sanitation District and Union Pacific Railroad signed an agreement that spells out the terms and conditions for transporting up to two unit trains a day – each carrying 4,000 tons of MSW – to the Mesquite Regional Landfill.
The rail infrastructure project at the Mesquite Regional Landfill calls for the construction of an intermodal yard, similar to what is commonly seen at seaports where containers are moved by crane from cargo ships onto tractor-trailer trucks for delivery. A similar process will move containerized MSW from rail cars onto trucks for disposal in the landfill.
Additionally, the Mesquite Regional Landfill rail infrastructure project calls for the construction of a 4.5- mile rail spur to connect with the Union Pacific main line approximately 1-mile northwest of the Glamis crossing. The rail spur will include the construction of a bridge that will span storm water control channels on the landfill property.
Construction of the Mesquite Regional Landfill was completed in 2008. Construction of the state-of-the art landfill includes a $25 million road and drainage system, a water distribution system and the installation of modular offices. The first cell of the landfill has been lined with 5-foot thick multi-layer system that exceeds state, federal and local standards.
The Mesquite Regional Landfill is permitted to receive up to 20,000 tons per day (tpd) of municipal solid waste, after it has been sorted to remove recyclables and hazardous waste. Up to 1,000 tpd of the waste that the landfill receives is reserved for Imperial County waste.
At peak operation, the Mesquite Regional Landfill is expected to employee about 250 people and to pay Imperial County fees of about $17 million a year.
Construction is currently underway on the Puente Hills Intermodal Facility, where containers of trash will be loaded onto trains for the 200-mile trip to the Mesquite Regional Landfill. The access road construction has begun for the intermodal project that is estimated to cost $150 million. The project is expected to be completed in early 2012.
“The Sanitation Districts’ commitment to the waste-by-rail system is enormous because it provides an innovative, long term, regional solution,” Coke said. “In addition to a service, Imperial County will gain jobs and economic benefits from the Mesquite Regional Landfill project.”
To get the Mesquite Regional Landfill into operation before the rail infrastructure is completed and to provide greater flexibility through its early years of operation, the Sanitation Districts has proposed that Imperial County modify the permit governing the facility. The Sanitation Districts has requested that Imperial County allow the trucking of a limited amount of waste to the landfill.
The proposed permit modification seeks permission to truck up to 4,000 tpd of waste a day, 1/5th of what the landfill is permitted to receive. A draft environmental impact report, with air and traffic studies of the proposal, is expected to be released later this year.
