Developing a Circular Economy using Biosolids via a Community Based Public-Private Partnership to Fund Green Infrastructure

For older communities already dealing with deteriorating infrastructure, the cost of meeting new and unfunded stormwater treatment regulations is significant. Furthermore, the long-term inflationary maintenance costs are often underestimated, which the citizens have to bear after installation. The potential economic impact and financial burden of implementation, operation, and maintenance are concerns for businesses, taxpayers, and various levels of government.

The Borough of Hanover, located in south central Pennsylvania, is an underserved, lower-income community with aging infrastructure. It lacks the financial means to meet the permit requirements without imposing substantial stormwater tax increases on its already financially struggling citizens.

To address this regulatory and financial challenge, the borough assessed its available community assets and opportunities to generate non-tax revenues to be dedicated to the Municipal Separated Storm Serwer System/Total Daily Maximum Loadings (MS4/TMDL) permit requirements. This assessment led to the establishment of a Community Based Public-Private Partnership (CBP3) for the development of a regional Resource Recovery Facility (RRF). The facility aims to recover and repurpose waste streams such as sewage sludge/biosolids, dissolved air flotation (DAF), fat, oil and grease (FOG), and green waste to generate process heat for the wastewater treatment plant, biochar, carbon credits and possibly nutrient credits. The project also secures a continuous revenue stream for borough green infrastructure to address the community's stormwater management needs without burdening taxpayers. The presentation will discuss the CBP3, the Borough's RRF, the chosen technology, the revenue sharing structure, and the use of biochar in the community's green infrastructure.   

Keywords: Biosolids, Financing, CBP3, Biocharcredits