By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Solid Waste Authority voted on February 26th to move forward with plans to partner with Renewable Natural Gas Company to harness, refine and sell natural gas produced at the County Landfill. Jeffery Craig represented the company at the regular session of the board.
Rewable Natural Gas Company has been in talks with the board for over a year. According to Craig, his company will supply all the equipment and personnel to harness, refine and transport methane to the Columbia Pipeline for sale on the open market. Craig also said his company would incur all costs of permitting, design and implementation.
The Solid Waste Authority will be paid a royalty of 13% of the gross sale of gas from the landfill, according to Craig. Craig had previously reported an estimated royalty payments of $542,113 in 2025, but could be significantly higher based on the price of gas on the open market.
Tucker County Solid Waste Authority Vice-Chair Dennis Filler said that he has fielded concerns over “dirty gas” being pumped into the pipeline system. While Filler said he had reassured the concerned public members about the process, he felt that if the board had something in writing that they could refer community concerns to, that would help reassure those concerned. “You all get 13% off the top, so before any operating expenses or anything else,” Craig said. “Its based on gross revenues.”
Craig said that with the automated system and refining process, his company would become immediately aware of any problems in the system as soon as they would occur and would be addressed immediately. “We can tell from those well reading whether or not we have a problem at a particular part of the well field,” Craig said.
Craig fielded questions from the board about the system’s impact on such concerns as landfill smell and future regulation that could see EPA requirements for a landfill gas collection system. Craig said that his company’s system will fulfill any future requirement for gas collection, as well as make the board money at the same time without costing the board any money in infrastructure and maintenance. Craig also said the system would eliminate the typical smell of a landfill, as the smell comes from methane which is what the company will be harnessing and refining for sale. “You are generating gas,” Craig said. “Right now its just migrating into the atmosphere and sometimes people notice that. When we are done, nobody should notice that because if someone is smelling something that means we are all losing money.”
Tucker County Solid Waste Authority Presiding Chair Mark Holstine informed the board that attorneys for both Renewable Natural Gas and the Solid Waste Authority had come to agreement on terms on a gas purchase agreement and lease agreement for the project. The board voted unanimously to have Holstine represent the board in moving forward with the agreements. “What we are going to ask for today is a motion to allow me to execute those agreements and that will start the process,” Holstine said.
According to Craig, the collection system should be fully operational by Spring of 2025. Final approval of all plans, according to Craig, will rest with the board. As part of the agreement, Craig said the board has final approval. “The way the agreement is set up, we don’t do anything without your approval on this site,” Craig said. “That’s just the way this works. Its your landfill.”
The next meeting of the Tucker County Solid Waste Authority will be held on Monday, March 25th at 3 p.m. at the Tucker County Solid Waste Authority Office located at 284 Landfill Road in Davis.
