Sault Ste. Marie Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the Ontario government are working together to reduce gas.
Yes, the stinky kind.
Today, Sault MPP David Orazietti announced almost $1.5 million in funding to the City of Sault Ste. Marie for the design and construction of a methane collection system at the 5th Line Landfill site.
The system will initially significantly reduce the amount methane released by decomposing garbage at the landfill site, Orazietti said during his announcement at City Hall.
The PUC is also exploring a plan to use that gas to generate electricity.
The full text of Orazietti's release follows.
************************ Orazietti announces $1.4 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Sault Ste. Marie McGuinty government invests in local landfill gas collection system
Sault Ste. Marie – The McGuinty government is providing $1,461,938 to the City of Sault Ste. Marie for the design and construction of a methane collection system at the 5th Line Landfill site, David Orazietti, MPP announced today.
"This investment to capture methane from our landfill will reduce local greenhouse gas emissions and help Ontario reach its climate change goals," said Orazietti. "This project will also provide a boost to the local economy by creating new jobs and continues our government's commitment to making Sault Ste. Marie a green energy leader."
Collecting methane at the Sault Ste. Marie landfill will help Ontario reach its climate change goals.
The methane produced at landfill sites is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 21 times that of carbon dioxide.
In June 2008, Ontario made it mandatory that landfills larger than 1.5 million cubic metres install methane collection systems by 2010.
Landfill owners can either burn off the methane, reducing its global warming potential by 95 percent, or use it to generate electricity to sell to the grid or use locally.
"Mandating landfill gas collection is just one of our government's climate change initiatives. When all new systems are combined with the systems already in place, Ontario landfills will be reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over four million tonnes per year," said Environment Minister John Gerretsen.
"With the City's focus on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, it is recognized that this project is a critical component in our overall strategy to be 'Green'", said Susan Hamilton Beach, Land Development and Environmental Engineer, City of Sault Ste. Marie.
The project in Sault Ste. Marie is one of six in municipalities across Ontario eligible for provincial funding to two-thirds of the capital costs of a methane collection system.
The six municipalities will receive more than $8 million over three years.
When all new systems are combined with the systems already in place at some facilities, Ontario landfills will be reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over four million tonnes per year.
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