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Harrison County board approves MOU supporting renewable natural gas project at Pecan Grove landfill
Summary
Board voted to concur with a memorandum of understanding backing a NextEra-led renewable natural gas project at the Pecan Grove landfill and to consider a five-year, 100% tax abatement as requested in the MOU.
Harrison County supervisors voted unanimously to concur with a memorandum of understanding among the Harrison County Development Commission, the Board of Supervisors and Puro Energy of Mississippi LLC to advance a renewable natural gas project at the Pecan Grove landfill.
The MOU is meant to formalize county support and clear the way for tax-abatement discussions tied to the project, which proponents said will collect and clean landfill gas for use as vehicle fuel and other heating needs.
The project team — represented at the meeting by Chris Grissom and Tom Galliano of NextEra Energy — described the proposal and the expected benefits. "We're working on renewable natural gas projects," Galliano said. "Doing this project can provide enough energy and environmental benefits to save power for 15,000 homes annually." He told the board NextEra plans to invest broadly in Mississippi and estimated more than $11 million in property-tax benefits over an 18-year project life, not including sales, use or income tax effects.
Galliano said the company would pay Waste Management for gas on a volume basis and that revenue sharing with the landfill operator is part of the financial structure. He said NextEra is requesting a five‑year, 100% property tax abatement to support the project's economics.
Board President (name not specified) asked for a motion; a supervisor moved to approve the resolution to concur with the Development Commission and to join in the execution of the MOU. The motion passed on a voice vote; the meeting record shows an affirmative voice vote with no roll-call tally announced.
Why it matters: Project proponents said the facility would bring energy production, potential local use of natural gas by Waste Management, construction and operations jobs and long-term property-tax revenue. County officials did not adopt a final abatement ordinance at the meeting; they approved concurrence with the MOU and authorized execution of the document that allows the parties to proceed with the proposed agreement.
Next steps: County staff will proceed under the MOU and, as described in the presentation, seek final approval on any tax-abatement ordinance or other incentives in subsequent public hearings where statutory notice and full fiscal analysis would be required.
