Springfield’s landfill is filling up faster than projected but changes are coming. “The general scope of this project includes a new, larger biogas blower flare skid installations of over 100 gas extraction wells, over 12 miles of associated piping, as well as electrical liquids management and control systems improvements,” said Erick Roberts, assistant director of Environmental Services, at the June 26 city council meeting.
The new infrastructure will cut down on greenhouse gas emissions coming from the landfill. “Our regulatory requirement is to control that gas and to run it through some type of destruction device, which our primary destruction device that this project that will be part of this project is a fire that will essentially burn that,” Roberts said.
The City Council passed the ordinance allowing the landfill to use up to $13 million in bonds to fund expansion and implement extra protections. Roberts told City Council the investment will help turn these gases into power for the community. “Additionally, this project will also provide the city with the ability to continue to beneficially use the biogas to produce renewable electricity through the Noble Hill Renewable Energy Center, and will allow us to continue to explore other beneficial uses of the biogas going forward,” Roberts added.