EMS Advisory Council

Upcoming Meeting: May 22, 2012 1:00 p.m

Location:
Ola Babcock Miller State Library Building
Corner of 12th and Grand/1112 E. Grand Avenue
Forrest Spaulding Conference Room 310

Meeting Materials:
Agenda (subject to change)

As an outcome of the 2008 legislation, House File 2570 was signed into law. The legislation establishes a program and process that allows solid waste planning areas to be designated as environmental management systems (EMS) by demonstrating compliance with a set of solid waste reduction and beneficial environmental activities with a commitment to continuous improvement. A provision in the bill created a nine-member advisory council appointed by the director of the Department of Natural Resources.

The Council Members are:

Chair - Tom Hadden, Metro Waste Authority
Vice-Chair - Scott Smith, Central Iowa Waste Management Association Planning Area
Shelene Codner, Iowa Waste Exchange
Anthony Colosimo, National Solid Waste Management Association - Iowa Chapter
Bob Fagen, Northern Plains Regional Planning Area
Bob George, Iowa Recycling Association
Matt Rasmussen, Iowa Department of Economic Development - Recycle Iowa
Brian Tormey, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Mary Wittry, Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations

The main function of the council is to make recommendations as to which solid waste comprehensive planning areas who apply for the EMS designation should be selected. Such designation qualifies a planning area to take advantage of the incentives set forth in the legislation. The council also makes recommendations on how the Solid Waste Alternatives Program (SWAP) funding allocated to support this program should be spent. All of the above recommendations are subject to the approval of the Environmental Protection Commission.

The advisory council determined it would be beneficial to have outside assistance in this initial year of implementing EMS. After a competitive process, the advisory council selected Gresham, Smith and Partners, a firm with a great deal of experience in start up of EMS programs to assist pilot project areas and the council. In October, 2009, the Environmental Protection Commission approved the contract for Gresham, Smith and Partners and the selection of six solid waste pilot areas as recommended by the advisory council.

For more information regarding the State of Iowa’s current solid waste management policies and programs please see the Department’s white paper titled “Argument for Change, Vision for the Future”.

DNR Contact
Becky Jolly
515-281-8308
Becky.Jolly@dnr.iowa.gov