City approves landfill gas deal with New Carbon as company pledges $20 million investment

The Hastings City Council approved a gas purchase and ground lease agreement with New Carbon to build a landfill renewable natural gas (RNG) system at the municipal landfill, after a lengthy public discussion and a failed motion to table the item.

Why it matters: New Carbon told the council it will invest about $20,000,000 to install a gas collection and upgrading system that will capture landfill methane and inject pipeline-quality gas into the Tallgrass interstate pipeline. The company said the city will receive a sliding-scale royalty that could total roughly $2,100,000 over the life of the project.

New Carbon head of feedstocks Brian Lammers said the company plans to start construction in late 2027 and achieve commercial operation around February of the following year. "We plan to interconnect with the Tallgrass…