Agenda - 12-03-2007-6c - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 3, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. (p _ G SUBJECT: Landfill Gas Recovery Process Options DEPARTMENT: Solid Waste Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): University of North Carolina -Draft MOU 11/9/07 Carolyn Elfland Letter 11/28/07 County Manager Follow-up Letter to Carolyn Elfland INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Wilson, 968-2885 PURPOSE: To receive, and decide among, proposed options for proceeding to develop a gas recovery project at the Orange County Landfill. BACKGROUND: Orange County has been considering and evaluating potential landfill gas (LFG) recovery options since 1997. In 1998, a series of meetings took place between University of North Carolina and County staff, including a representative of the EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program and the Program's engineering consultant. At that time, the University decided not to pursue an LFG project as not being financially viable. The EPA's consultant conducted considerable LFG modeling and other analysis and believed there were sufficient quantities of gas to justify a project, but conceded that it would likely be a financial break-even situation. The Orange County Landfill was generally considered too small to support a credible and financially viable project. In the ensuing years, the County has been intermittently approached by potential LFG project developers, speculators, and various other groups, businesses and individuals offering a variety of interests and proposals. None of these represented viable legitimate proposals that protected County interests. Also during that period, a variety of federal and state legislative tax credit and regulatory initiatives were implemented and expired. Only within the past couple of years has the LFG regulatory and financial climate evolved to a situation where previously marginal landfills are now becoming viable. National and international markets have been and are being established to reduce greenhouse gasses, which include methane. Of late, there seems to be significant interest nationally by both producers of gas and gas project developers leading to an increase in competition for projects. The BOCC's last substantive discussion of LFG recovery was at its April 12, 2007 meeting, with a brief follow-up discussion of Carbon Emissions Trading in May. On May 31, the County Manager and Solid Waste Management Director met with the Town of Chapel Hill Manager and staff regarding the potential development of a LFG project on Eubanks Road as requested.