HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Developers working to convert methane from the Reno County Landfill into renewable natural gas say the project continues to make progress but need additional time to complete permitting, financing and engineering work before construction can begin.
Representatives from Meadowlark Renewables and Sparq Renewables updated the Reno County Commission Wednesday on the status of the project and announced they will ask commissioners next month to extend key deadlines in the development agreement by six months.
Norman Herrera, with Sparq Renewables, told commissioners the company has made significant progress since its last presentation, including securing one of two required pipeline easements, submitting the project's state air permit application and continuing work on multiple permits needed before construction can begin.
"We're in a good place since we signed," Herrera said. "We've started our permitting. We've evaluated the well field. We've negotiated one of the two easements that we need. We've begun the work with the bond resolution, and now we're just asking for this extra six months of time to do activities that are all getting us to the goal of starting."
The proposed project would capture methane generated by decomposing waste at the Reno County Landfill, refine it into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas and inject it into the Kansas Gas Service distribution system instead of burning the gas in landfill flares.
Herrera explained that the county already operates the landfill's gas collection system, which captures methane to meet environmental regulations. Meadowlark's role would be to further process that gas into a marketable fuel source.
"The end goal [is] to take our gas and have it in a high BTU and a refined state, where we send the gas to Kansas Gas Service, your local utility here in Hutchinson," Herrera said.
The company submitted its air permit application to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on July 13 and estimates the review process could take three to four months. Developers are also working through conditional use permits, utility crossings, wastewater approvals and other regulatory requirements.
Another major focus has been evaluating and optimizing the landfill's gas collection system. Engineers have spent the past several months studying existing methane wells to determine where repairs, replacements and additional wells are needed to maximize gas production while maintaining environmental compliance.
Trevor Lytle of SCS Engineers said his role is to improve the balance and efficiency of the existing well field.
"I've been tasked with the optimization of the existing well field and understanding how we can decrease the balanced gas, increase the methane that is coming into the plant," Lytle said.
County Administrator Randy Partington said the development agreement approved earlier this year expires in mid-August. Commissioners are expected to consider an amendment at their Aug. 12 meeting that would extend the conditions precedent through Feb. 12, 2027, giving the company additional time to complete permitting, financing and property agreements.
"If you guys don't approve that, then the project goes away," Partington said.
The proposed amendment would also clarify responsibility for improvements to the landfill's gas collection system. While Reno County would continue operating the well field, Meadowlark would pay for upgrades, repairs and future expansion needed to support the project.
Commission Chairman Ron Hurst said he continues to support the project because it creates value from methane that is currently burned off.
"I hate to see waste," Hurst said. "Federal law says we flare it and burn it, and it goes to no good use for anybody. This way, there will at least be a beneficial use to the community as a whole, and we will get a financial good for the public."
Commissioner Richard Winger also noted the project provides both environmental and safety benefits.
"The methane gas starts collecting pretty fast in the ground," Winger said. "Having to burn it off ... is just wasting it. I like this project too because we're going to get some benefit from it, but also the gas is not just sitting there in a dangerous state."
Commissioner Hurst questioned whether the long-term financial success of the project depends on selling and the future of carbon tax credits.
Herrera acknowledged the project benefits from existing tax incentives during both construction and operation but said the renewable natural gas itself also has market value.
"Our gas will trade the same way because it's chemically identical once it hits the pipe at Kansas Gas," Herrera said.
If approved next month, the six-month extension would allow Meadowlark Renewables to continue permitting and engineering work while moving the project closer to construction.