Skip to content
The Archive of The Carrboro Citizen
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
  • Schools
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • Mill
  • Flora
  • Print Archive
  • About
Menu

Commissioners vote to test landfill gas with UNC

Posted on January 17, 2008January 17, 2008 by Staff

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to enter into a 90-day agreement with UNC to explore the feasibility of a landfill gas-recovery project.
Commissioners and county officials have said they would like to launch a possible gas-recovery project at the landfill as a way of reducing greenhouse gases. County staff had recommended in November that the commissioners request proposals from private firms as well as the university, but university officials said they would not bid against private firms.
The board had agreed in December to consider a proposal by UNC to use county landfill gas to power the university’s Carolina North Development.
Commissioner Mike Nelson expressed concern that the university would choose not to launch the project at the end of the 90-day period, and that the gas should be captured sooner rather than later because emissions will peak.
“Reading through this [agreement], it really sounds much iffier than it sounded [in December],” Nelson said. “I continue to have concerns about whether, even if they get to the end of the 90 days and decide that they want to proceed, it’s going to take a long time to get their project up and running.”
The board discussed soliciting bids from private companies during the 90-day period in order to be prepared if the university decided not to launch the project, but opted against it in order to allow the university the option to submit the first proposal.
“Because of our respect for the university and our desire to better our working relationship with the university, we have said that we would do this,” board Chair Barry Jacobs said, adding that county staff should be prepared to begin soliciting bids from private companies on the 91st day.
The university will return to the board with a possible project proposal in April.

Web Archive

© 2025 The Archive of The Carrboro Citizen | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme