Arlington Star -Telegram 1/24/03
By: Nathaniel Jones - Staff Writer

Methane gas once burned and released into the air from the city's landfill will be
piped to Fort Worth and be used to help power a wastewater treatment plant.
City officials have agreed to allow Renovar Energy Corp. of Midland to capture
methane gas from the city's landfill north of the Trinity River and send it through
a 4-mile underground pipe to the Village Creek Wastewater Treatment plant.

In return, Arlington got a new $3 million gas well system, which is more
environmentally efficient than the city's past practice of burning the gas into open
air. Renovar will maintain the well system, a cost savings to the city of about $70,000
a year, city officials said. "Renovar has assumed the immediate and long term
financial responsibility of the project at no risk to the city," said Trey Yelverton, the
city's Neighborhood Services director. "This is a benefit to Arlington citiizens both
financially and environmentally."

Methane is a colorless gas that is a byproduct of the decomposition of organic solids
and is produced by cows, landfills and the solid waste treated at sewage plants.
Arlington's new system captures the gas, cleans it and pipes it to the wastewater
plant. City officials began using the gas wells Dec. 22, 2002. Renovar sells the gas to
the wastewater treatment plants at a low cost. Previously, methane gas was burned
and released into the air. The new system is not expected to have a negative effect on
River Legacy Parks.

This is a model project for conservation, said Phyllis Snyder, River Legacy Foundation
executive director. "The city is able to make use of the gas with minimm disturbance
to the habitat at River Legacy," Snider said. "We'll just continue to monitor th areas
near the pipeline." This month, the Environmental Proection Agency selected
Arlington's agreement with Village Creek "Landfill Methane Ourreach Program of the
Year for 2003" because the city's project crosses two city boundaries. Plant Assitant
Director Robert McMillon said 75 percent of the plant's power comes from using
methane gas, but he hopes it will be at 100 percent within two years. He also said
that the wastewater facility has a 20-year agreement to purchase the gas from the
Arlington landfill. "The money we save on operating the plant means we can pass it
on to homeowners," he said.

• Arlington Star -Telegram 1/24/03
• The Dallas Morning News 1/24/03
• Permian Basin Oil & Gas Report 1/26/03
• Arlington Star-Telegram 2/5/03