Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

JOHNSTON -- A New Jersey company today acquired a clean-air permit for its $80-million project to generate electricity from the methane gases given off by trash at the state's Central Landfill.

The company, Ridgewood Renewable Power, received the air permit from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

The DEM has determined that the "air pollution emissions" from the proposed plant, in combination with other emissions in the area, will not "exceed air quality standards," said Douglas McVay, acting chief of the DEM's Office of Air Resources.

Ridgewood's president, Randall Holmes, said his company is still in the process of arranging financing for the project.

Some preliminary construction, involving changes to the existing network of methane piping at the landfill, is under way, but the building of the plant itself probably will not begin until later this year, Holmes.

Last year, company officials had hoped the facility would be operational in late 2010. That timeline is optimistic, Holmes said.

 Tags  Central Landfill Johnston R.I.

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