Environmental Sustainability Board Meeting - August 20, 2026
Environmental Sustainability Board Meeting - August 20, 2026
The Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) of Los Alamos County met on August 20, 2026 at 5:30 PM. The meeting included presentations on biosolids composting and the B City pollinator initiative, formation of two new work groups, updates from county boards and staff, and unanimous approval of the agenda and prior minutes.
Consent Calendar
- The agenda was amended to move the B City report after the biosolids presentation, then approved unanimously.
- The minutes from the July meeting were approved unanimously.
Discussion Items
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Biosolids Composting Presentation (Joshua Silva, Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent): Silva presented on the county's biosolids composting operations at the old bioplant site. He detailed the process, including the use of biosolids, horse manure, and wood mulch to produce a Class 1A compost. The county processes roughly 200 dry metric tons of biosolids annually from the Los Alamos plant, 450 tons of horse manure from North Mesa Stables, and 400 tons of yard waste mulch, all diverted from landfills. The compost consistently tests below 50 MPN/g for E. coli (limit: 1,000 MPN/g). Silva discussed challenges such as weather, moisture balance, and contaminants (plastics, PFOS, pharmaceuticals). He noted that the finished compost is distributed at the Eco Station and is fully utilized by the community. Board members asked about MPN meaning, landfill locations (Valencia County, 120 miles away; Rio Rancho, 90 miles), annual output (~250 dry metric tons), potential for food waste collection (feasible but would require separate equipment to maintain organic certification), and future regulatory trends.
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B City Los Alamos Presentation (Britton Donharl, B City Coordinator): Donharl presented the B City initiative, a Xerces Society program focused on native pollinator conservation through outreach, education, and habitat creation. Key accomplishments over three years include: over 150 properties receiving free native plant garden kits (16 plants each), a pollinator demonstration garden (soon to be relocated to Peak due to drought), and a new wildflower meadow at the golf course's "Bermuda Triangle" area (publicly accessible). Donharl highlighted partnerships with the county (including use of county compost), 4-H, Girl Scouts, and master gardeners. The program is funded by a grant ending in October; a renewal application is in progress. Future plans include continued garden kit distribution, meadow maintenance, and educational newsletters ("The Buzz").
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Work Groups: The board discussed forming two work groups to advance the Climate Action Plan:
- Local Food Systems: To strengthen local/regional food systems, support farmers markets, community gardens, and identify gaps. A board member volunteered to lead; another expressed interest in participating.
- Commuter Trip Reduction Program: To reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips by county employees through incentives, carpooling, biking, and telework. A board member volunteered to lead. The work groups will research best practices and aim to present recommendations by November 2026. Both groups will have fewer than three board members (thus not a quorum) and will coordinate with staff (Helica).
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Board of Public Utilities Report (Carly Blair): Blair summarized recent BPU meetings: an August 5 work session covered a study on transitioning households from natural gas to electric, water rate ordinance, electric coordination agreement, plug-in solar panels, and wastewater presentation. The August 19 regular session included reviews of the 2026 electric coordination agreement, long-range water supply plan contract (40-year water plan), and Foxtail Flat Solar updates.
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Transportation Board Report: Ongoing public works projects include the Trinity Drive improvements, restriping of crosswalks (with input from resident Mr. Geppert), and installation of green bike lanes (e.g., on Oppenheimer near Central). Discussion included potential for elevated bike paths (pushed back due to snowplow concerns) and upcoming bulb outs on Grand Canyon/Sherwood in White Rock.
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Parks and Recreation: No report this month; Member Chandler took responsibility for future reports.
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County Council Update (Councilor Hands): Hands reported on recent council meetings: Lodgers Tax Advisory Board noted reduced day trips but Bandelier National Monument remains a key draw; Personnel Board chair highlighted workforce and housing competition with Los Alamos National Laboratory; briefings on the electric coordination agreement (an update to the 1980s agreement); an ordinance granting cable franchise to Comcast; and three ballot questions for the general election regarding board/commission term limits (proposal to allow three consecutive terms), elimination of party requirements for most boards (except BPU, P&Z, Personnel), and allowing utility profits to be retained for utility projects rather than transferred to the general fund.
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Sustainability Alliance Working Group Update: Helica reported on landfill permit repairs at the Eco Station, new water/energy conservation coordinator (Elsa, replacing Abby Hayward), weatherization and eCAM updates at Peak, and Gaia's Pantry acquiring a bear-proof container for its food distribution at the Unitarian Church.
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Staff Report (Helica): August sustainability newsletter focused on local wildlife protection, with ~60% engagement rate and increasing subscribers. DC fast-charging EV stations at Mesa Public Library are nearly complete (transformer pending, on track for October 8). An RFP for off-site composting services is open until September 1. On-bill financing research continues; attorneys are vetting the program. Coalition of Sustainable Communities New Mexico (representing 50% of state population) confirmed priorities: energy efficiency for low-income housing and clean transportation. Recommended viewing the "Pathway to Zero Natural Gas" study by UNM Economics. Upcoming events: Farmer's Market (September 17), Clean-Up Alley Days (September 19), Canyon Rim Trail cleanup (September 16), Science Fest (September 26). July diversion rate: 27% (trimmings down due to dry summer).
Key Outcomes
- Agenda and July minutes approved unanimously.
- Two work groups established: Local Food Systems (leader volunteered) and Commuter Trip Reduction (leader volunteered), with a target to present recommendations by November 2026. Staff will support.
- The board took no formal votes on other items; all presentations and reports were for information and discussion.
- Next meeting preview: Gary Goddard presentation in October, and Corey Styron on integrated pest management plan (rescheduled from August).
Meeting Transcript
All right, it's 5 30, so we're called order. Quick uh roll call by Cheryl Shell. Member Growe. Member Blair. And uh other member Blair is absent, and um member Chandler. So we have a quorum. So with the agenda, um, would you guys entertain a change in the agenda where we move um the B City um report to right after the uh presentation on biosalts? Sure. Any other changes to the agenda? Okay, agenda's approved unanimously with that as amended. Does anyone have any um changes to the minutes from July? Um those minutes are approved unanimously. And with that, we'll um go to Mr. Silva for the presentation. Sorry, give me one second. Uh good afternoon, board. My name is Joshua Silva. It's nice to be here in front of you guys all tonight. Uh so I'm going to talk a little bit about biosolids composting and what we do down in the canyon at the wastewater treatment plant, as far as uh composting biosolids. Uh so here's my presentation. I did this a couple years ago. I don't I don't seem to remember any of you guys if you were here, forgive me for forgetting, but uh we'll go through it again. Uh next slide, please. Uh, this is just a little bit about me, and like I said, my name is Joshua Silva, wastewater treatment plant superintendent. Uh, I've been at the county of Los Alamos for 10 years. I have 13 years in the wastewater field. I'm currently certified as a level four wastewater operator, a level three wastewater lab tech, and a level three water systems operator, and hold a compost facility operator certification, all from the NMED. Um, next slide, please. A little bit of history, composting in the county. Uh, currently, Los Alamos wastewater treatment plant construction began in 2005, put online in 2007. Uh, the decommissioned old bioplant is where we are currently composting the biosolids and the horse manure today. Uh, prior to 2013, composting operations were done at the eco station, and during that time there was no biosolids in the composting process. So the wastewater treatment plant was hauling biosolids to the landfill and paying a ton of money in trucking costs, as you can imagine. In 2013, composting operations were then moved down to the current facility, which was the site of the old bioplant, and biosolids were introduced into the process. Uh in 2023 and 2024, the site was expanded to allow for the addition of biosolids being produced by the White Rock Water Resource Recovery Facility, which was put into service on May 15th of 2024. Today, composting operations are a joint effort between Los Alamos County and the Department of Public Utilities to reduce waste and provide beneficial material to the residents. Uh here on this slide, you could see some pictures of the expansion that happened to make extra room so that we could process when White Rock went online. We added about a third more of the biosolids that we were to our total, right? Next slide, please. Biosolids are a nutrient-rich organic material that is generated from the treatment of wastewater and residential septage. So all we're doing at a wastewater treatment plant is we're taking what Mother Nature was going to do with the waste and just speeding up the process. We're cultivating bacteria to treat all the viruses and harmful bugs and everything. And when we compost it, we're essentially turning all that stuff back into dirt. Uh a nice rich soil amendment that is beneficial for people to use and and grow crops and pretty flowers and stuff. Uh as to why we compost them, like I could just sit here and say because we have to. Um, but it's a little bit more to it than that. Um part 40 CFR Part 503 establishes requirements for the final use or disposal of sewage sludge biosolids when biosolids are either A applied to land to condition the soil, which is what we're doing, or fertilized crops and other vegetation grown in the soil, B placed in the surface disposal site for final disposal, or fired in a biosolids incinerator. So with the process, the composting process, we're doing the first part of that, applying it to land to amend the soil and fertilize crops. Next slide, please. What is compost?
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