A project that has taken roughly six years to complete was unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony to show the completion of a fuel-producing biodigester and a modified constructed wetland capable of reducing pharmaceutical impacts in wastewater on June 22 at the Village of Minoa wastewater treatment facility at 100 Kalin Drive.

“Minoa is better know globally than we are locally,” said Mayor Richard Donovan. “Our unique abilities allow us to research new and innovative ways to tackle known and unknown contaminants in wastewater.”

This ribbon cutting signified the completion of the “Cleanwater Educational Research Facility (CERF)” project, which was funded through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s (EFC) Green Innovation Grant Program for $564,000.

According to Donovan, the CERF project dates back to a few decades ago when former Minoa Mayor John Regan helped create the idea for the facility.

In attendance at the event were a long list of people involved in the CERF project: Suzanna Randall, EFC’s Green program manager; members of the Minoa Village Board, including Deputy Mayor Bill Brazill, Trustee John Campagne, Trustee Eric Christensen and Trustee John Abbott; Minoa Village Clerk Lisa DeVona; Minon DWP Superintendent Tom Petterelli and members of the Minoa DPW; research biologist of the Minoa wastewater treatment plant Steve Giarrusso; East Syracuse Minoa Superintendent Donna DeSiato; former president of the CERF project Dr. Drew Murphy; Assemblyman Al Stirpe; Manlius Town Supervisor Edmond Theobald; Fayetteville Mayor Mark Olson; ESM High School Principal Greg Avellino; students from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry; and students from East Syracuse Minoa who have worked on the project.

This wastewater treatment facility in Minoa is the only municipally operated water quality research center in the Northeastern United States. The thermophilic digester is a hybrid reactor that can capture methane and produce biogas in less than half the time of a typical biogester than can save the village about 90 percent a year in fuel costs for its zero emissions compressed natural gas vehicles.

The constructed wetland project was built in conjunction with the SUNY ESF and other private organizations. This wetland will be used for research in solving how to to remove pharmaceutical drugs in wastewater using organic and eco-friendly processes.

Research from this facility, according to Giarrusso, could lead to innovations in third-wold countries to creating clean drinkable water in an eco-friendly and minimally costing manner. Giarrusso said he has visited several countries throughout the world including Romania, Poland, Germany, China and Columbia, to see what type of research is being done relating to this and how the village of Minoa can add to this research.

Every year for about six years, seniors from the ESM’s Global Environment class, a hands-on course taught by ESM science teachers John and Pam Herrington, get a chance to work on research projects at the Minoa CERF facility. Students in this class gain college credits from SUNY ESF.

“This teaches the students real-world problem solving,” said John. “All of the students run into problems when working on their projects here — but that’s what teaches them the skills they need in the real world and hopefully they can use that when they leave high school.”

“My motto is that we hope to build confidence in the students so we can build competence,” said Pam. “It’s a time important for self-discovery.”

The course is typically taken by seniors at ESM high school. The students work on a research project and make a presentation at the end of the year, which allows the upcoming students in the course know how they can continue research.

“It’s the best class I’ve taken. It’s beneficial and breaks up the monotony of classroom learning,” said senior Nick Drogo, whose work focused on researching impacts of different types of fuel emissions and creating emissions-free fuel system for vehicles. “I believe the environment is very important to protect.”

Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].