Landfill Gas System Design & Management
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Landfill Gas Compliance Monitoring
LaBella has managed landfill gas compliance monitoring programs at close to 100 landfills. Our services include monitoring boundary probes and on-site structures, notifying regulatory agencies of action level and regulatory limit exceedances, and preparing and implementing Landfill Gas Remediation Plans. LaBella has supervised the installation of numerous gas probes and passive gas vents. The probes and vents are installed in accordance with the Landfill Gas Management Plan. Detailed boring logs are prepared and then used to evaluate and interpret local geological conditions which may control migration pathways for landfill gas. When necessary, LaBella oversees the proper abandonment of gas probes to prevent the migration of potential surface contaminants into the uppermost aquifer.
Landfill Gas Collection & Control System (LGCCS) Operation & Maintenance
LaBella provides operation and maintenance (O&M) services for LGCCS, including fine tuning/balancing of existing systems. The goal of balancing is to extract the gas at the same rate that the landfill is producing gas. LaBella’s experienced staff understands how to avoid both too little vacuum and excessive vacuum on a well. Our experience with balancing systems includes beneficial use projects, where boundary probe compliance must continue, and the quality of the gas must be maximized to gas-to-energy or renewable natural gas (RNG) plants.
At landfills subject to a Title V permit, LaBella maintains compliance with New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) parameters for pressure, temperature, and oxygen at all wells by making minor adjustments and/or identifying necessary repairs. On a monthly basis, LaBella completes the required wellfield tuning and downloads and checks flare data to stay in compliance with Title V Air permits and MACT AAA requirements.
LaBella’s LGCCS O&M services include condensate management, gas well and well head maintenance, and blower/flare maintenance. This maintenance includes troubleshooting, replacement of gauges, valves, fittings, hoses, and minor piping repairs using a fusion machine.
Title V Permitting & Compliance
Title V Permitting
LaBella retains a professionally qualified engineering staff to offer a wide range of Clean Air Act Title V permitting services. Our permitting services include preparing the permit applications for issuance and renewal, as well as preparing permit modifications for the installation of new flares and compliance with 40 CFR Part 60 Subparts XXX and OOO. We also review existing permits, along with the applicable regulations, to ensure compliance in all aspects of the Title V Permit. This effort includes preparing a Gas Collection and Control Plan and, if applicable, a Startup, Shutdown, Malfunction Plan to comply with MACT AAA.
We also review existing permits, along with the applicable regulations, to ensure compliance with the Title V Permit.
Title V Monitoring
As required by Title V permits, LaBella performs quarterly surface emissions monitoring (SEM). In addition to measuring methane over the surface of the landfill, we monitor sump houses, designated riser pipes, and/or leachate clean-outs for the presence of methane.
To maintain compliance with Title V permits, LaBella has developed a protocol for and conducted numerous Tier 2 Nonmethane Organic Compound (NMOC) field testing events. Our protocol is consistent with the requirements of 40 CFR 60.754.a.3. We install the sampling probes in accordance with US EPA Method 25 and then collect air samples for analysis, evaluate the data, and prepare the Tier 2 NMOC Emission Report.
Title V Reporting
LaBella routinely prepares the numerous reports required by the NSPS and Emissions Guidelines (EG) for MSW landfills. These reports include the following:
- Initial Design Capacity Reports
- Tier 1 NMOC Emissions Reports
- Tier 2 NMOC Emissions Reports
- Control System Design Plans
- Initial Performance Test Report
- Annual Compliance Reports
- Semiannual Collection and Control System Reports
- Semiannual Startup-Shutdown-Malfunction (SSM) Reports
- Quarterly Surface Emissions Monitoring Reports
- Annual Emissions Inventory Reports
Additionally, in accordance with the federal Greenhouse Gas Inventory Regulations, LaBella prepares the Annual Greenhouse Gas Reports for landfills that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. LaBella has successfully petitioned the US EPA for “not required to report” status for several of our clients.
