KAMLOOPS – Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) will benefit from $2.1 million from Canada’s Gas Tax Fund for an innovative project to reduce methane emissions from small landfills.
“Our government is proud to deliver long-term infrastructure funding for municipalities through a permanent annual investment of $2 billion in the Gas Tax Fund,” said Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “We are pleased to support projects that create local jobs and use innovative technologies to improve air quality and protect the environment.”
The initiative involves the placement of compost beds on the landfill surface over areas where landfill gas is venting. It uses biosolids from wastewater treatment processes, wood waste and other products to create the landfill cover. The beds metabolize methane produced by the landfill, and immediately reduce its global warming impact by 21 times. Methane emissions are also captured and oxidized by a thick organic topsoil layer spread over the remaining area of the landfill during closure.
The TNRD is funding the remainder of the $6.3-million project, with contributions from Metro Vancouver for the supply and mixing of organic material to be used, valued at $1.4 million.
“I would like to thank the federal government for this funding,” said Randy Murray, TNRD chair. “Small unregulated landfills do not generate enough emissions for conventional treatment systems; however, collectively these sites have a major impact on the environment. Implementation of this financially-sustainable green initiative is an effective way of treating landfill emissions today, thus mitigating landfill cleanup obligation for future generations.”
“It’s good to see the Gas Tax Fund supporting such an innovative approach for reducing methane,” said Terry Lake, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson. “The province continues to be a leader in emission reduction initiatives and through projects such as these we will continue to do our part in mitigating climate change.”
Canada’s Gas Tax Fund provides stable, long-term funding to local governments and other organizations to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. The fund primarily supports capital projects to improve local roads, public transit, energy systems, drinking water, air quality, wastewater and solid waste management. Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) administers the Gas Tax Fund in B.C. in collaboration with Canada and British Columbia. On Dec. 15 the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion.
“Local governments in B.C. are committed to reducing GHG emissions from our operations,” said Heath Slee, president of UBCM. “UBCM is very appreciative of the support provided by Canada through the Gas Tax Fund to support innovative projects like the TNRD’s.”
For further information on the government of Canada’s infrastructure investments in British Columbia, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.