City of Huntington Must Act To Reclaim Landfill And Follow Charleston's Lead

Charleston's Mayor Danny Jones announced plans Monday to build a gas-fueled power plant at the city landfill. The plant would burn methane generated by the trash buried at the landfill. University of Charleston President Ed Welch is interested in buying the "green" electricity to power the UC campus. According to a news report in a Charleston newspaper, private investors have been lined up for the $3 million project.

The news article stated that the group plans to install a 3-megawatt power plant at the landfill and build a system to collect methane. The power would be fed through nearby power lines into the interstate grid, where it could be sold to those interested in "green" power, like that produced by windmills.

"The idea is to supply electricity to the University of Charleston and turn them into a green university," Jones said. According to preliminary estimates, the plant would produce more than enough electricity to power the whole campus. The City of Huntington must move to reclaim our present landfill and follow Charleston's lead in developing a future "green" community.