Commission approves bid for landfill gas collection system

Shelby County is one step closer to being in the energy-producing business.

At its March 14 meeting, the Shelby County Commission approved a bid for its Highway 70 Landfill Gas Collection Project. The bid was awarded to American Environmental Group LTD for the amount of $973,585.

“This is a project that we’ve planned for many, many years,” said county chief development officer Chad Scroggins.

In this year’s budget, the commission approved $1.2 million for the project, and county manager Alex Dudchock noted the bid came in well under that budget.

The bid includes the installation of 26 wells in the county landfill. Those wells will collect the gas created during the decomposition of carbon-based materials, Scroggins said.

“They’ll actually be drilled into where the garbage is now, and that’s where you tap into to suck the methane gas out,” he said.

Right now, the landfill has “fugitive emission,” Scroggins said, meaning the methane gas leaks out wherever it can. Following the installation of the wells, that gas will be contained, he said, which could reduce any odor produced by the landfill.

The goal is to eventually sell the gas to an energy development project, Scroggins said. Now that the bid is approved, Scroggins said there will be a bit of lag time before construction of the wells will begin. Equipment has to be ordered, he said, and he expects it to be six to eight months before anything kicks off.

Also at the March 14 meeting, the commission:

• Approved a bid to replace the flooring at SportsBlast. The bid went to Duncan & Thompson for $107,078.
• Awarded a bid for sand to Dunn Construction and Vulcan Materials.
• Awarded a bid for a large multi-function device. The device is a large copier and printer that can be used for plat maps and other large prints. The bid was awarded to Arc Document Solutions for $30,418.
• Awarded the bid for Sheriff’s Office vehicle accessories to Emergency Lighting by Hayes. The bid covers installation of lights, radar and other equipment on Sheriff’s Office vehicle sans was in the amount of $8,944.73.
• Reappointed Susan Fulmer to the Harrison Regional Library Board.
• Approved an ALDOT contract for the planing, resurfacing, guardrail and striping along SR-145.
• Approved a right of way resolution for CR-251, or River Road.
• Approved a resolution for resurfacing CR-13 from CR-52 to the Bibb County line.
• Announced two free days for the Shelby County landfill. Those days are April 2 and Oct. 1, and allow residents, churches and civic groups to dispose of trash and debris at no charge.
• Announced April 2016 at National Service Recognition Month.

The next Shelby County Commission meeting is Monday, March 28 at 6 p.m.