City Proposes to Sell Lopez Landfill Gas

Police and environmentalists may benefit from the closure of Lopez Canyon Landfill under a proposal made Wednesday by Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon.

Alarcon, who represents the Lake View Terrace community, proposed that the city sign a contract to sell the methane gas generated by the city-owned landfill after it closes on July 1. Sale of the gas may generate from $344,000 to $700,000 annually for the city, he said.

A company called Lopez Canyon Energy Partners has offered to purchase the methane to run generators to produce electricity, city officials said.

Although other public and private landfills in the area collect gas generated by the decomposition of waste with a network of pipes, the city’s Bureau of Sanitation currently burns the gas.

At a meeting of the Public Works Committee, which Alarcon chairs, he proposed setting aside half of the methane gas profits to operate an “environmental awareness center” near the landfill. The other half would be used to help the expanding Police Department pay to lease new office space, he said.

If the contract is approved by the full council next week, Alarcon said it would pay to lease at least 20,000 square feet of office space for the Police Department. Collection of the gas could begin in December.

J.P. Ellman, president of the Public Works Commission, said the idea of selling the gas had been floated about eight years ago but had never been executed because it was not certain until recently that the venture would make a profit.