For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 20, 2020
The following committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for committee review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html. The committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current committee agendas can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube (MoCoCouncilMD) and on Facebook Live (MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil) and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on channels 30 (Fios), 1056 (RCN) and 996 (Xfinity).
Meeting: Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
T&E Committee: Council Vice President Tom Hucker (Chair) and Councilmembers Evan Glass and Hans Riemer
Topic:
Supplemental Appropriation #2-S21-CMCG-1 to the County Government’s FY21 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program, Department of Environmental Protection - $4,700,000 for Transfer Station Fire Detection and Suppression System
The T&E Committee will review a supplemental appropriation of $4.7 million to the Fiscal Year 2021 Capital Budget and FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This appropriation would fund fire detection and suppression system improvements at the County’s Solid Waste Transfer Station.
According to DEP, the transfer station experiences approximately 16 fires on average per year. The most common fires are associated with batteries in the tipping floor and pit areas. The current fire detection and suppression system is more than 30 years old and cannot provide sufficient water capacity or pressure. The outdated system also cannot provide the non-water-based suppression that is needed for many fires that occur. Water trucks and portable fire extinguishers are needed to supplement the current system. Moreover, the existing detection system is not fully functional, and the fire alarms in the administrative buildings only work intermittently.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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