Natural disasters—whether they are hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, or other occurrences—create unique waste management challenges.

By Tammy L. Hayes

No matter where in the country you are, some form of natural disaster can devastate your community. With all of the other things there are to worry about when a natural disaster strikes, such as public safety and infrastructure concerns, you also have to remove the remaining refuse. Experience has shown that managing the enormous amounts of debris in the aftermath of a disaster is most effectively accomplished through emergency-preparedness planning. Are you ready?

Do you know whom to call when the dust settles—all over everything? Do you have pre-event contracts in place to manage the debris? Do you have sites designated to sort everything out? Do you know what costs can be reimbursed? Do you know what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements are for you to get those costs reimbursed? This article will show you what some communities have experienced and what you can do to be prepared.

Hurricane Opal

In October 1995, Hurricane Opal swept through the Panama City area in Florida's panhandle, creating more than 65,000 tons of construction-and-demolition debris, uprooted trees, and other vegetative waste in the unincorporated areas of the county alone. Almost immediately, Bay County received approximately 60 unsolicited responses from contractors and debris removal firms. The county decided to take an aggressive restoration approach.

A two-phase program was developed for the management of emergency cleanup activities. The first phase produced a plan for the cleanup (since one was not in place), and the second phase involved implementing the plan. First, responses from the contractors were consolidated, qualifications statements were developed for interested firms, bidders were prequalified, and bid proposals were received—all within three and a half days. A favorable contract price was then negotiated for loading, hauling, and disposing of the storm debris.

The implementation phase included monitoring load, collection, and hauling contractors; monitoring landfill scales and weight tickets; and providing daily reports on more than 200 loads per day that were disposed of at the county landfill. A public information and hotline system was also set up to answer inquiries from local residents. Cleanup activities were closely coordinated with FEMA and the Florida Department of Community Affairs to meet strict guidelines for cost reimbursement. Many meetings were held to discuss required documentation and the eligibility of a negotiated fee for contractors instead of a bid.

A team of 12 people worked full-time to manage this cleanup, and its success was the result of a dedicated, talented staff. However, emergency planning could have expedited the process.

Hurricane Irene

In October 1999, Hurricane Irene struck southern Florida with winds up to 95 miles per hour and rainfall up to 15 inches, leaving an extensive cleanup effort for Palm Beach County. The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA) was called upon to lead the emergency response and storm-debris cleanup program. Overwhelmed with the amount of debris and the realization that the cleanup effort would cost both time and money, SWA contacted CDM to assist in monitoring waste collection and obtaining reimbursement funds from FEMA.

Within 72 hours, personnel were mobilized from around Florida and positioned at eight sites to monitor the hauling contractors and document the quantity, quality, and origin of the waste. Once the governor declared a state of emergency, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued an emergency final order, which authorized the open burning of hurricane-generated yard trash and demolition debris by local governments or their agents in remote locations, as well as in air-curtain incinerators anywhere in the emergency area.

Sites were initially identified as potential debris management sites. SWA management personnel coordinated closely with the cities, contract haulers, various county departments, and other agencies to ensure that storm debris was collected quickly and efficiently and processed or disposed of properly. Six emergency vegetative-debris-handling sites were opened from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. seven days a week. SWA conducted daily conference calls with all cities and the county emergency operations center to ensure that they were being responsive to the needs of the cities and the haulers.

The hurricane generated approximately 250,000 cubic yards of debris; the majority was vegetative waste that was mulched. About half of the mulch was either open-burned or used as fuel in a nearby cogeneration plant. The other half was either used by the county or left on existing closed landfills. None of it was landfilled. Because careful records were kept, SWA recovered approximately $3 million of the total $3.3 million spent on the clean-up efforts from FEMA.

Marc Bruner, director of planning and environmental management for SWA, comments that "Hurricane Irene was the last storm we were unprepared for. At that time we had no pre-event contracts in place and no real debris management plan." He goes on to say, "That year was a wake-up call for Palm Beach County because Hurricane Floyd, which was a major [Category 4] storm, just missed us and Hurricane Irene hit us, although that was a minimal hurricane [Category 1 at the time it hit Florida]. Now we are prepared for any future storm events."

Fires in New Mexico

In May 2000, Los Alamos County residents were devastated by the Cerro Grande wildfire, which burned more than 47,000 acres and destroyed more than 400 residences and other structures. Although the county had excellent safety and evacuation procedures in place—no lives were lost, and no civilians were injured—there was no plan for the removal of more than 162,000 cubic yards of debris that remained as a result of the fire's destruction.

The steps taken to accomplish this feat entailed assessing the damage, identifying FEMA guidelines, estimating the volume of material, and evaluating disposal and recycling alternatives. One of the obstacles that had to be overcome was that the local landfill was closing and had limited capacity, with the nearest landfill being 150 miles away. Another was that household hazardous waste and asbestos-containing material (ACM) had to be isolated and removed, and there are only three landfills in New Mexico that accept ACM.

Approximately 95% of the debris was ultimately either reused or recycled. Foundations, stem walls, and retaining walls were excavated and crushed to 1.5-inch material, which was stockpiled for use on county road projects. Burned trees and other vegetation were chipped and delivered to a local golf course under construction, and metal was delivered to local scrap yards. All debris removal and reconstruction efforts had to be coordinated with the County, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), the State of New Mexico, FEMA, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The people who worked on this project suggested that anyone who goes through this put together "lessons learned" when the work is completed and revise the plan accordingly. The lessons learned from this experience included the following:

• Prepare a disaster-debris management plan. Identify chipping/grinding/disposal sites and include a hazardous mitigation plan.
• Preselect a contractor for on-call services.
• Know FEMA's guidelines for reimbursement.
• Keep accurate data.
• Establish a "hotline" for homeowners.
• Update the plan on a regular basis.
• Identify chipping/crushing/burning sites.
• Prepare an oversight/tracking plan.
• Plan for the worst and hope for the best.
• Be ready to work long hours.

FEMA Requirements

Understanding FEMA requirements prior to an emergency enables you to recover the maximum amount of cleanup costs allowed. FEMA's Public Assistance Program, set up under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for the removal of debris, the implementation of emergency protective measures, and the permanent restoration of public infrastructure. This program is based on a partnership of FEMA, state, and local officials, so close coordination among all of these agencies is important. Details can be found on FEMA's Web site (www.fema.gov) ,but the basic elements of this program are described below.

The state plays the role of "grantee" and is responsible for administering the federal grant, so you need to know your state's emergency management agency and whom to contact there (this information can be found on FEMA's Web site). To begin the process, you must submit a Request for Public Assistance form to the state (also found on FEMA's Web site). You can do this at a state-sponsored applicants' briefing, at which you will receive information about the Public Assistance Program and state requirements.

Eligible applicants include states, local governments, Indian tribes, and certain private non-profit organizations. The federal share of assistance is not less than 75% of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. The state determines how the non-federal share (up to 25%) is split with the applicants.

To be eligible, the work must be required as the result of the disaster, be located within the designated disaster area, and be the legal responsibility of an eligible applicant. Work that is eligible for supplemental federal disaster grant assistance is classified as either emergency or permanent work.

Emergency work includes debris removal from public roads and rights of way, and emergency protective measures performed to eliminate or reduce immediate threats to the public. Permanent work includes work to restore an eligible damaged facility to its pre-disaster design for categories such as roads and bridges, water control facilities, buildings, utility distribution systems, and public parks and recreation facilities.

FEMA accepts the following four methods of procurement under the conditions delineated below:

• Small purchase procedures can be used for items that cost less than $100,000. Several price quotes are required, but publicly advertised bidding is not.
• Sealed bids must be publicly advertised, with a contract awarded to the responsive bidder with the lowest cost.
• Competitive proposals are used for procuring architectural or engineering professional services, and contracts are awarded based on qualifications.
• Noncompetitive proposals are accepted when an item is available from only one source, an emergency requirement will not permit delay, FEMA authorizes noncompetitive proposals, or solicitation from multiple sources was attempted but the competition was inadequate.

Additionally, one of the following contract types must be used:

• Lump sum contracts can be used where a clearly defined scope and price are possible.
• Unit price contracts can be used when the work can be broken into items and a cost per unit determined.
• Cost plus fixed fee is either a lump sum contract or a unit price contract with a fixed contractor fee added.
• Time and materials can be used only for the first 70 hours following a disaster when a clear scope cannot be developed. They must include a "not to exceed" provision.

For some services, pre-event contracting can be an acceptable way of arranging a reputable, qualified contractor on a standby basis for performing certain types of repair or replacement work. Pre-event contracts are most commonly used for disaster-debris cleanup since the scope of work is relatively well-defined. Pre-event contracts covering disaster-debris cleanup can be bid as both time and materials contracts to account for the immediate cleanup following the first 70 hours, and unit price contracts that generally prescribe payment on a volume (dollar-per-cubic-yard) or weight (dollar-per-ton) basis of debris collected, hauled, reduced, and/or disposed.

The key to cost reimbursement is documentation, documentation, documentation.

Disaster Debris Management Planning in South Carolina

In recent years, both hurricanes and floods have left their marks on the Carolinas. In the aftermath of these events, public utilities are stretched to their limits and need to rely on outside contractors to assist with repair and cleanup efforts. Some communities that have suffered during past disasters have expressed frustration with procuring qualified, reputable contractors. Recognizing these problems, the Berkeley County Water & Sanitation Authority (BCW&SA) understood that planning before a disaster hit was important for an effective and timely debris cleanup operation. They prepared a debris management plan that outlines responsibilities and tasks, identifies debris clearing priorities, classifies debris, provides guidance for operating debris reduction and storage sites, and specifies waste segregation procedures. To enhance the level of preparedness in the event of a disaster, BCW&SA has also put in place a pre-event or standby contract.

To initiate its pre-event contracting effort, BCW&SA developed a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP solicited qualifications, experience, and price with respect to the tasks above. Six firms responded to the RFP, and the list was narrowed down to a few of the most qualified firms. Following interviews, one firm was selected that was capable of providing the entire scope of services. A five-year standby contract was signed, which can be renewed or cancelled at the end of each year. The contract includes plans and specifications detailing how the debris is to be collected, hauled, reduced, and disposed of. Language is included to document requirements for such items as a temporary debris storage and reduction site (TDSR) set-up and restoration, traffic safety, and filling in holes from uprooted trees.

The following tasks are included in Berkeley County's pre-event contract based on FEMA guidelines:

• Initial debris clearing following the first 70 hours after the disaster. This part of the contract is set up as a time and materials contract. The only work reimbursable for this part of the contract is moving debris from the major roadways to allow emergency access to affected areas.
• Debris collection, hauling, reduction, and disposal. This part of the contract is set up as a unit price contract. Payment is based on the cubic yards of material collected, delivered to one of several pre-identified TDSRs, reduced at the TDSR, and hauled to a final disposal site.
• Clearing of sewer easements. This part of the contract is also set up as a unit price contract. Payment is based on the cubic yards of material cleared from sewer easements.
• Provision of food, water, and shelter for essential county employees and their families. This task was included so that BCW&SA employees essential to disaster response would be available for critical infrastructure repair, should their own homes be damaged.

They also retained a consulting engineering firm to monitor all debris contractor operations; track and report on debris management progress; provide public relations assistance; provide hazardous-waste-material specialists; provide engineering services related to the inspection, design, and repair of critical infrastructure; provide annual training and coordination for county employees; and assist with debris management planning. According to Marc Hehn, director of BCW&SA, "Having this plan in place is of great benefit to Berkeley County. Having worked here for 20 years, I well remember Hurricane Hugo, and I feel very good that we can call upon CDM to help manage our contractor in the removal of debris, restoration of water and sewer service, and FEMA requirements."

Preparedness in Massachusetts

On a broader scale, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) recently revised its existing Disaster Debris Management Plan. This plan details FEMA Public Assistance eligibility requirements, emphasizes separating and recycling disaster debris due to limited landfill capacity, clarifies MEMA's debris-clearance policies and procedures, provides information regarding air-curtain pit burning as a means of volume reduction and for the disposal of animal carcasses, discusses mutual aid agreements, and more clearly defines the sequence of operations.

This plan further provides guidance for local communities about what their responsibilities are during cleanups, and identifies the responsibilities of state and federal organizations. It includes sample contracts, an example mutual aid agreement, an example right-of-entry agreement, and sample public announcements. It also explains how to select debris-staging sites, where to find information on contractors and waste facilities/services, and how to maximize FEMA reimbursement.

This comprehensive plan will better prepare the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its communities for any future disaster cleanup efforts. Other states either have or are in the process of doing this as well—check with yours. It could be a good starting point for preparing your own plan and can save your staff some time and effort.

So Are You Ready?

Disaster debris management is often a component of an overall emergency management plan but may be a separate document all together. To get started, here are the key elements of a specific waste management plan:

• Identify your project team; include local government agency personnel for procurement, legal, communications, operations, and engineering; a debris contractor; and an oversight engineer.
• Delineate roles and responsibilities for each team member and know how to contact them seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
• Understand local, state, and federal contracting procedures and be aware of what is and is not eligible for reimbursement.
• Establish a debris management cycle for normal operations, increased readiness, response, and recovery.
• Develop debris classifications, such as vegetative waste, construction-and-demolition debris, large metals, and hazardous wastes.
• Determine appropriate methods for managing each type of debris—what can be reduced by grinding or chipping, recycled, burned, or landfilled.
• Designate temporary storage/burn sites and develop operating plans for those sites, including site preparation, operations, and closeout procedures.
• Document all decisions, actions, and costs during the response: this is imperative to receive maximum FEMA reimbursements.
• Set up a system for reviewing and updating your plan on a regular basis; if a disaster does hit, record any lessons learned and revise your plan accordingly.

The main activities that everyone who has been through this exercise seemed to emphasize were planning, coordination, and documentation.

So are you ready?

Tammy L. Hayes is a marketing manager specializing in solid waste at CDM in Tampa, FL.

MSW - September/October 2004