JOHNSTOWN - The Fulton County Board of Supervisors last week authorized three resolutions so the county can start capitalizing on hundreds of thousands of dollars in environmental credits for the county landfill's gas-to-electric project.
The board authorized its chairman to sign an amendment extending a contract between the county Department of Solid Waste and Environmental Capital of New York City through Dec. 14, 2014. The previous contract approved in 2007 only ran until 2012. Officials said the company has identified a purchaser of the landfill's future carbon credits.
The $6.5 million gas-to-electric project at the county landfill in the town of Johnstown, which converts the landfill's methane gas to electricity, started last year. The credits are equal to credit received on the financial market for cutting down on carbon released into the atmosphere.
A contract was recently proposed with CantorCO2e of New York City to provide $700,000 to the county for three years - 2012 through 2014. The board last week authorized that contract. Once it is signed, a deposit of $120,000 will come this year and the remainder of the $700,000 will be placed in an escrow account.
Supervisors also passed a third resolution closing out construction of the gas-to-electric project and authorizing additional expenditures to begin the sale of the carbon credits. The county agreed to spend the balance of $30,000 in construction costs for project design document preparation and carbon credit verifier services.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.