The Committee of the Whole authorized a $64,800 feasibility study to determine whether landfill gas (primarily methane) at the Grand Forks municipal landfill could be collected and used or sold. The vote passed with one dissent after councilmembers and members of the public debated potential emissions, health impacts and whether a city-funded study was warranted.

Sanitation staff member Miss Lipsch presented the request, saying a private startup had approached the city about a gas-collection system and that the study would evaluate operational impacts, possible buyers for the gas and the project’s economics. “This feasibility study is going to look at all those different things,” Lipsch said, including integration with the landfill operations and revenue potential. The requested work would be performed by Burns & McDonnell under authorization number 50 for $64,800.

Several councilmembers asked whether the study would examine processing impacts and potential emissions from a capture-and-combustion facility; Lipsch said the consultant would use the landfill’s in-house records of deposited materials and apply modeling to estimate methane generation and project feasibility. She said she would provide the consultant with available data and that the consultant would model production. She did not describe plans for core sampling.

Councilmember Ossowski expressed strong opposition, raising concerns that gas processing can generate nitrogen oxides and other byproducts and that prior projects have not always delivered promised local benefits. Ossowski said he did not want taxpayers to subsidize a speculative project and pledged to oppose it. Other councilmembers, including Veen and Berg, argued that a neutral feasibility study was the prudent first step to determine whether a viable, city-beneficial project exists. Veen asked staff to secure from the consultant clear criteria and historical success metrics for landfill-gas projects before the full council vote.

Councilmember Osowski registered the lone dissent when the committee approved the study. Staff said existing landfill monitoring and state environmental requirements will continue and that any subsequent project would require separate approvals and potential agreements with third parties. The committee did not authorize any construction or revenue contracts; the vote only authorized the feasibility study and associated consultant fee.

The committee also discussed the city’s ongoing landfill work program, budgeted consultant funds and future expansion plans; staff noted that the city budgets for landfill consulting each year and that additional consultant work is anticipated in 2026 for expansion-related tasks.