ORANGE COUNTY IN BANKRUPTCY : 7 Haulers Offer Trash Import Proposals : Sanitation: County could raise up to $55 million. But the plan faces obstacles, competition.

A handful of trash haulers submitted proposals Wednesday to truck garbage into Orange County landfills as part of a plan to help the county raise cash, officials said.

The Integrated Waste Management Department had contacted more than 50 trash haulers in neighboring counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura, seeking proposals. Only seven businesses filed proposals by Wednesday’s deadline, said department spokeswoman Cymantha Atkinson.

But the proposals, when added together, could bring about 6,000 tons of garbage a day into the county--the maximum allowed under state law, Atkinson said. Contracts must still be negotiated, but the county could potentially earn as much as $55 million to help it dig out of a financial crisis after the county’s investment pool lost $1.7 billion in risky investments last year.

“We are encouraged by the response,” Atkinson said. “This is the first step in a long process.”

“It’s good news,” added Supervisor Marian Bergeson, who expressed hope that the program will attract a greater number of potential trash haulers in the future--giving the county greater negotiation leverage. “I think the main thing is the goals [for maximum importation] are within reach.”

Garbage importation is one of the most important--and controversial--components of the recovery plan crafted by county Chief Executive Officer William J. Popejoy in the wake of the county’s Dec. 6 bankruptcy.

The proposal still has to overcome opposition from some Orange County officials and stiff competition from San Diego County, where officials are also hoping to raise money by attracting trash haulers.

Orange County’s three landfills--in Brea, San Juan Capistrano and Irvine--currently have excess capacity. Officials in those areas aren’t thrilled by the idea of trash trucks rolling through neighborhood streets each day, causing traffic and environmental problems.

San Juan Capistrano Councilman David M. Swerdlin said Wednesday that the city is going to fight the importation plan “every step of the way.”

Atkinson would not reveal the names of the seven haulers that submitted the proposal. She said the county must consider the contracts in detail over the next few weeks, as officials try to determine which proposals are viable and which ones should be scrapped.

Atkinson expected that some of the proposals will be rejected, potentially leaving the county short of its goal to import 6,000 tons a day.

“We haven’t had any time to analyze them,” she said. “It’s probable that not all of these will be viable.”

Paul Nussbaum, top adviser to Popejoy, said the number of trash haulers responding is insignificant.

“It’s the amount of tonnage and price that’s important,” Nussbaum said. “If you have one hauler with 6,000 tons, that’s all you need.”

In seeking proposals, officials targeted neighboring counties, especially cities in northern San Diego County, where dumping fees are especially high. But the San Diego Solid Waste Management Authority recently slashed its landfill fee to $47.50 a ton, from a high earlier this year of $74. That cost could drop to $40 a ton in some areas by July, 1996, officials said.

As a result, several San Diego County cities and trash haulers interviewed this week questioned whether importing trash to Orange County makes financial sense.

“We’re not sure if this will work for us,” said Frank Mannen, assistant city manager for Carlsbad, who said transporting garbage over long spans also adds to hauling costs.

Lin Wurbs, assistant general manager for the authority, said its fee reductions were designed “to make us more competitive in the marketplace” but are not aimed at undercutting Orange County’s plan.

Orange County recently increased its disposal fees from $22.75 to $35 a ton, but officials said the fee could be reduced to $30 if the trash importation plan is implemented.

Under state law, the three county landfills can take a total of up to 16,658 tons of waste per day. Because of the recession and recycling programs, the landfills currently take in an average of 10,000 tons a day.

The importation proposal got a significant legislative boost last month when Gov. Pete Wilson signed bills sponsored by Sen. William A. Craven (R-Oceanside) that will allow the county to avoid state environmental reviews before accepting outside trash.