Randolph County selects WAGA Energy as preferred partner to develop landfill renewable natural gas; 60‑day due diligence authorized

The Randolph County Board of Commissioners voted 3–1 to select WAGA Energy as the county’s preferred partner to develop renewable natural gas (RNG) from landfill gas at the county landfill and authorized staff to begin a 60‑day due diligence period and contract negotiations.

County engineer Paxton Arthurs summarized the procurement process during the meeting, saying the county issued a detailed request for proposals in May and received eight proposals before shortlisting four firms. He told commissioners the shortlisted firms — including WAGA Energy — were “highly qualified” and had records of successful projects. Paxton said staff later engaged consultant Smith Gardner to assist in evaluation and interviews because an earlier technical consultant had potential conflicts with some proposers.

The decision follows nearly a decade of landfill work. Paxton told the board the county retained gas rights in its operating contract with Waste Management when the landfill was built, and that Waste Management installed voluntary gas collection equipment in 2017 and expanded it in 2022. He said the county engaged consultants to model future landfill gas volumes and provided that modeling to proposers.

County manager Ziv Holden emphasized that the preferred‑partner selection authorizes only due diligence and negotiations, not a final contract. Holden and staff said all four shortlisted firms indicated they would fund construction of any processing plant and gas‑capture tie‑in; the county would not have to provide upfront capital for plant construction.

Commissioners and staff discussed technical and commercial uncertainties, including how much recoverable methane the county can expect in the near term, long‑term production trends and whether the chosen developer will connect to the Piedmont Natural Gas pipeline or use trucked “virtual pipeline” options. Staff said Piedmont Natural Gas had indicated available capacity near the site but that detailed tie‑in information would be obtained during due diligence once a partner is selected.

Commissioner remarks in favor cited WAGA Energy’s compact footprint, quieter technology and a patented separation process — the “WAGA box” described by a commissioner — that proponents said can extract higher volumes of methane with less noise and neighborhood disruption. Commissioner opponents cited remaining questions and noted one commissioner absent from the meeting had outstanding technical questions he wanted answered before a selection.

The motion to select WAGA Energy passed by voice vote 3–1. The board directed staff to proceed with a 60‑day due diligence period and return with a recommended contract for board approval if negotiations succeed.

If negotiations fail, staff said the county will move to the next qualified proposer. Paxton and Holden told the board they had identified outside legal counsel to assist with contract negotiation and that any final agreement would return for formal approval by the board.