2009 Demonstration Project
Lowry Landfill:
Aurora, Colorado
THE SITE: The Lowry Landfill Superfund Site occupies
approximately 508 acres of land 15 miles southeast of the City of
Denver, in Aurora, Colorado. The City and County of Denver
operated a municipal, hazardous, and industrial waste landfill at the
site from 1966 until 1980, and Waste Management of Colorado
continued municipal solid waste disposal at the site until 1990.
Contamination of soil, shallow ground water, and subsurface soil
vapors resulted in the addition of the site to the Superfund National
Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The 1994 Record of Decision focused
on containing contamination at the site through construction of a soil
cover at least four feet thick over the landfill; construction of an
8,800-foot long underground ground water barrier wall to minimize
inflow of clean ground water and outflow of contaminated ground
water; and operation of multiple ground water extraction and
treatment systems. In 1997, fifty-four extraction wells were installed
as part of a landfill gas collection system; extracted gas is transported
by pipeline to the northern end of the site where it is burned off from
an enclosed flare. Ground water and soil vapor monitoring continue
at the site.
THE OPPORTUNITY: The Lowry Landfill is located adjacent to
the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS), which is an active
municipal landfill facility. Both sites produce landfill gas, a gas
mixture composed primarily of methane (50%) and carbon dioxide
(45%) resulting from the biological decomposition of materials in the
landfill. Instead of disposing of the landfill gas by burning it off,
which emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the gas could be
converted into electrical power, providing enough energy to meet
annual electrical demands of approximately 3,000 households, while
also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Similar programs were
already operating successfully at landfills around the country, but this
would be the first Colorado landfill gas-to-energy plant using gas
from a Superfund site and the only active plant for the state.
Wetlands along northern edge of cleaned
Lowry Landfill site.
Barrier: Administrative logistics
arising from a novel technology
Solution: Close collaboration between
EPA, City, Waste Management, and
utility stakeholders
Tour of landfill gas-to-energy plant at opening
ceremony in 2008. (Source: City and County of
Denver, CO)
Before: Cleaned up, closed landfill
facility with a gas extraction and burning
system
After: Colorado's first landfill gas-to-
energy facility powering 3,000 homes
THE BARRIER: In 2006, the Lowry Landfill Superfund Site had
completed remedy construction and was ready for reuse. Since this
would be the first landfill gas-to-energy plant using gas from a Superfund site to be considered within the state
United States
Environmental Pro"
I Agency
Superfund Redevelopment Initiate
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of Colorado, as well as the only active landfill gas-to-energy plant in Colorado, the novelty of this innovative
facility presented potential administrative concerns, including logistics of permitting, approval, design, and
construction planning.
THE SOLUTION: The City of Denver and Waste Management of Colorado partnered with a local utility
company, Xcel Energy, to discuss the best options for productively using the landfill gas emitted at both the
Lowry Landfill and DADS facilities. Stakeholders were highly motivated to implement this novel technology
in Colorado based on potential environmental and economic benefits of the plant established by successful
landfill gas-to-energy programs in other states. As a result, parties worked together closely to advance required
administrative logistics and facilitate a smooth implementation of the work plan.
THE SITE NOW: In July of 2007, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper presided over a groundbreaking
ceremony to officially launch construction of the Lowry Landfill/DADS landfill gas-to-energy plant. Each
year, the facility will use four combustion engines to convert 630 million cubic feet of landfill gas from both the
Lowry Landfill and DADS into 3.2 megawatts of electrical power. The landfill gas-to-energy plant was
officially opened at a ribbon cutting ceremony in September 2008, and the utility company Xcel Energy is now
distributing the electrical power to area residents and businesses.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Ken Wangerud, Remedial Project Manager, at (303)
312-6703 or wangerud.ken@epa.gov: or Frances Costanzi, Region 8 Superfund Redevelopment Coordinator, at
(303)312-6571 or costanzi.frances@epa.gov.
4>EPA
United States
Environment''1
Agency
perfund Redevelopment Initial
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