P.A. council moving away from ‘waste to energy’ project over several concerns

“It seemed too good to be true,” said Coun. Tony Head.

Mayor Greg Dionne, who’s been one of the more vocal against these recent proposals, stated during the meeting he hopes this will stop other companies from trying to use the city as the location of their pilot project.

“I’ve probably talked to seven or eight companies but they’re all fishers, none of them have a product to show you and one thing I’ve learned when it comes to problems like this is you don’t want to be first.”

Dionne noted he’s not against the idea, he just wants to see proof that an investment by the city wouldn’t go to waste.

He added he plans to keep an eye on the proposed clean energy waste processing facility the Wahpeton Dakota Nation is working on creating in P.A.

Coun. Blake Edwards also expressed his support for the idea during Monday’s meeting.

He continues to be concerned about the growing size of the city’s landfill.

Last year, P.A.’s council approved a new cell at a cost of $6 million. It’s expected to last between 15 to 20 years.

“If we could take some of this garbage and move it out of that cell, maybe we can make that cell last 40 years.”

Meanwhile, Couns. Don Cody and Terra Lennox-Zepp expressed support for a different project.

The city’s administration took time during the meeting to share more about a potential landfill gas capture and combustion initiative.

Through the project, methane and carbon dioxide created at the landfill would be collected and flared which in return could help lower emissions and be processed to generate electricity.

“It would seem out of all of the projects that you looked at that would be the one that might make a little bit of sense because of the fact, in all likelihood, less money and less equipment, plus it helps with greenhouse gases,” added Cody.

The city is currently looking into the possibility as part of its gas management plan for the landfill.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

by Jaryn Vecchio

P.A. council moving away from ‘waste to energy’ project over several concerns

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