Elkhart County approves landfill upgrades and multimillion-dollar appropriations ahead of planned RNG project

The Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 20 approved a series of contracts and appropriations to expand landfill infrastructure as the county prepares for a planned renewable natural gas (RNG) facility. John Bowers, director of solid waste, told commissioners the lowest bidder for Landfill Cell F was "significantly lower than the next closest bid" and highlighted that CNE Excavating is "an Elkhart County based company," noting local economic benefits.

Bowers described a separate project to increase the landfill header line for vacuuming gas, saying the landfill is producing "about 1,500 standard cubic feet" of gas and that the header improvements are part of preparing for the RNG plant. To fund construction of a roughly 20-acre cell, staff requested an additional appropriation of 2.797 (as stated in the request) from the Landfill Capital Reserve Fund and a second appropriation of $3,442,546 from the landfill operating fund. Bowers said the operating fund remains in a sound position and the county will maintain a significant balance after the transfer.

Commissioners voted to approve the awards, contract items and both appropriations. The measures carried without recorded opposition.

The purchases and appropriations are intended to complete the full project now rather than phase construction, county staff said. No timeline for RNG plant start-up was provided at the meeting; the board noted the header-pipe work is a preparatory step and that additional approvals and construction phases will follow.