GBB Helps Guam Achieve a Key Milestone:
Final Closure of Ordot Dump

Ordot Closure Channel Relocation inspection. From left to right: Scott Purdy (Construction Quality Assurance Contractor, Geo-Logic Associates); Conchita Taitano (Air & Land Division Administrator, Guam EPA); Jun Quezada (Water Pollution Control Program Inspector, Guam EPA), Bill Coughlin (Stream Construction Specialist, Western Stream Works); and Chris Lund (GBB Senior Vice President.)

In a 2008 Court Order, U.S. District Court Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood tasked GBB with the 180-degree turnaround of a completely dysfunctional solid waste management system while closing a dump that has been open for nearly 70 years. She appointed GBB to be Receiver with full responsibility for bringing the Guam Solid Waste Management Division, now the Guam Solid Waste Authority (GSWA), into compliance with a 2004 Consent Decree for violation of the Clean Water Act.

Working diligently with public works, financial departments, the military, private waste haulers, and other stakeholders in Guam, the GBB receivership has opened a new landfill and is on a path to comply with all of the terms of the Consent Decree in the most cost-effective and expeditious manner possible. This has been accomplished under the guidance of the Court and in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA.)

On March 28, 2016, a key milestone of the receivership was reached - the U.S. District Court of Guam held a hearing that officially concluded the closure of the Ordot Dump. This Dump was in operation from the 1940s until August 31, 2011 and polluted the Lonfit River in violation of the Clean Water Act. As Receiver, GBB oversaw the design of an approved plan that met all of the legal and environmental requirements of the Federal and Territorial Governments.

“The plan provides for the legally required 30-year post-closure care of the facility. This includes monitoring groundwater, leachate collection and control, methane gas collection and control, and the financial controls to assure that the funding will be available to carry out these activities,” said Chris Lund, PE, PSS, GBB Senior Vice President acting as Receiver Senior Project Engineer for this important assignment. “Leachate, which had been leaking out of the Ordot Dump and polluting the Lonfit River, is now being captured and diverted to a waste water treatment facility for proper treatment. The environmental closure of the Ordot Dump also captures harmful methane, and carbon dioxide gases, both greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.”

Since 2008, Mr. Lund has performed the receivership’s day-to-day project management, engineering, planning, and permit compliance and quality assurance review and analysis for engineering design, conducting landfill permitting and compliance reporting, regulatory review coordination, and construction management. He has executed construction procurements resulting in more than $150 million of services that included construction of a new landfill, operations and dump closure projects, development of a permanent household hazardous waste facility, and the renovation and new construction of four transfer station facilities.

More info:

• Ordot Dump 'officially closed' video – Pacific Daily News, March 28, 2016
• Guam Solid Waste Receivership Information Center
• Guam Solid Waste Authority

Looking Forward to WASTECON!
GBB Exhibiting, Presenting and Co-Sponsoring SWANA's Young
Professionals Booth

WASTECON is right around the corner, on August 22-25, 2016, in Indianapolis, IN. GBB is proud to once again co-sponsor the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)’s Young Professionals (YP) booth. Since 1980, GBB mentored and empowered dozens of young professionals who joined the firm as consultants or as part of the internship program. The internship program has provided opportunities to motivated individuals to acquire hands-on experience in the solid waste management industry, further their knowledge in the environmental field, and work with GBB consultants.

Additionally, GBB will be at booth #1219, right next to the break zone, and speak/moderate at thefollowing sessions:

• "Waste-to-Energy on a Very Small Scale: The Metlakatla Indian Community Experience"
  John Carlton, P.E., BCEE (Speaker)
  Tuesday, August 23 at 5pm
• "Waste-to-Energy Lessons Learned: A 30-Year Evaluation on Why Projects Succeeded or Failed"
  Harvey Gershman (Speaker)
  Wednesday, August 24 at 10:15am
• "Yard Waste Composting Versus Landfill Gas Recovery: The Iowa Story: What Really Happened"
  John Carlton, P.E., BCEE (Moderator)
  Wednesday, August 24 at 10:15am
• "The Measure of Success: How to Measure Recycling Program Success in the Era of the Changing Ton"
  John Carlton, P.E., BCEE (Speaker)
  Thursday, August 25 at 10:15am

We look forward to seeing you there!

More info:

• SWANA Young Professionals Group

GBB and Stern Brothers & Co. Announce Renewable Energy from Waste Agreement

Stern Brothers & Co. (Stern) and GBB entered into a strategic agreement that will advance Waste-to-Energy (WTE) infrastructure and alternative energy projects. Under the advisory relationship agreement, GBB supports Stern’s execution of transactions by providing strategic industry consulting, industry research, project due diligence, financial analysis and other functions related to the development of energy and infrastructure projects.

Stern is an independent, certified woman-owned business enterprise (WBE) investment bank whose sole focus is public and infrastructure finance. Founded in 1917, the firm specializes in creating customized financing solutions for public and private borrowers, and is committed to having a team of experienced banker’s structure innovative financings that meet its client’s goals.

Stern’s Energy and Infrastructure Finance Group specializes in using tax-exempt and taxable bonds to optimize the debt structure and equity returns of developers seeking non-recourse project financing for energy and alternative energy projects. Stern also acts as a financial advisor to companies seeking corporate and project equity, and joint venture partners. Stern has offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, St. Louis and Tampa.

GBB brings great expertise and advice to Stern. Having worked on approximately 200 assignments involving utilization of waste for its energy content since 1980, and tracking 475+ alternative conversion technology companies, GBB has a significant amount of WTE and conversion technologies (CT) experience. This includes a number of initial feasibility studies, economic analyses to vendor negotiations, assisting in financing activities by coordinating the process and preparing the feasibility reports for the official statements, and monitoring construction and commercial operations as well.

More info:

• Stern Brothers & Co.’s website
• GBB’s website

Reading List

As thought leaders, GBB consultants regularly contribute articles to leading industry publications, sharing insight and information on important topics. Recently published articles include:

Mixed Waste Processing, Mixed Results
John Carlton, GBB Senior Vice President
Renewable Energy from Waste
June 2016

Part II: COP21 and Developing Countries
Harvey Gershman, GBB President
Renewable Energy from Waste
March 2016

Are You Considering a Waste Composition Study? … Why and for What?
Bob Brickner, GBB Founder Associate
MSW Management Magazine
May 2016

Part I: The Impact of COP21 on Recycling and Renewable Energy from Waste
Harvey Gershman, GBB President
Renewable Energy from Waste
January 2016

Links to all recently published GBB articles are available on the website.

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