CALL TO ACTION: Help EPUD Maintain Affordable Power Generation at Short Mountain

Issue Summary:

• EPUD has operated a power plant at the Short Mountain landfill for more than 30 years.
• This project has long been touted as a “win-win” for capturing harmful methane gas and using it to produce renewable energy.
• Now, the plant’s fuel supply is under threat after a recent decision by Lane County to build a new waste processing facility (known as an IMERF).
• The IMERF facility was pursued without involvement from EPUD, despite a Memorandum of Understanding between the utility and Lane County.
• This will be a significant cost to EPUD and lead to higher electric rates for our customers.

We encourage customers and other members of the public to reach out to the Lane County Board of Commissioners and ask them to support EPUD’s Short Mountain power plant rather than building the expensive new IMERF facility.

The Board of Commissioners can be reached by email at lcbcccom@lanecountyor.gov or you can contact them through our website. 

Above, EPUD General Manager Kyle Roadman explains the current situation around its Short Mountain Power Plant and the County’s plans to build a new facility, which would significantly raise costs for the community and EPUD customers.

Lane County Commissioners Questioned on Project That Will Cost Community Millions

On April 30, 2024, EPUD Board President Charles Kimball and Board Treasurer Curt Offenbacher contacted the Lane County Commissioners about their risky IMERF project. In the letter, the directors cited the $150 million price tag, the financial impact to the community and to EPUD customers in particular, and the project’s contradiction to the County’s own Climate Action Plan as reasons why the IMERF should be reconsidered. Read the letter.

Read the Cottage Grove Sentinel’s three-part series about Lane County’s plan to create a new waste processing facility.

The plan has raised concerns that the Lane County Commissioners are moving too fast and haven’t done an adequate amount of due diligence to mitigate potential financial risks and negative impacts to customers and ratepayers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lane County’s Planned IMERF and Why EPUD is Opposed

What is the County doing?

In December 2023, Lane County’s Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to move forward with a planned Integrated Materials and Energy Recovery Facility (IMERF) in Goshen. This project will divert waste from the Short Mountain landfill, resulting in less methane gas for EPUD to capture and generate power with.

How much will this cost the public?

The total price tag for the IMERF is $150 million, with Lane County residents on the hook for at least $35 – $50 million. This does not include the impact of higher electric rates for EPUD customers.

What is the impact to EPUD?

The methane gas available to generate power is expected to decrease by 20-30% over the next two decades. We estimate this will cost the utility approximately $20 million in lost power generation, an expense that will need to be passed on to customers over time.

How much has EPUD already invested at Short Mountain?

We’ve invested tens of millions of dollars in the power plant and methane gas collection system since the 1980s. Our annual spending at the landfill has doubled over the past five years alone in an effort to reduce emissions and increase power production.

What are the goals of the IMERF?

Lane County staff claims the new facility will “significantly” reduce methane emissions, divert recyclable materials, serve as a “Visitor and Educational Center” and “create” jobs.

Doesn’t EPUD already capture methane at Short Mountain?

Yes! In fact, we’ve been doing this for over 30 years. After recently increasing our investment in the gas collection system, we’re now capturing more methane than ever before. We have plans to push this capture rate even higher but need to ensure a reliable fuel supply to justify further spending.

Didn’t the County Commissioners already approve the IMERF?

The Commissioners approved a draft contract with a private corporation to build the IMERF on December 5, 2023. Since this time, significant legal questions have been raised about the agreement. Any final contract that resolves these issues should require a new vote by the County Commissioners.

What is EPUD asking from the County?

We’d like to double down on our longstanding partnership at Short Mountain. We’re prepared to invest even more in the power plant and gas collection system but must have a reliable fuel supply for this to make sense. This simply does not work with the proposed IMERF. We invite the County to come back to the table and focus on EPUD’s proven approach.

What can I do to help?

Please reach out to the Lane County Board of Commissioners by email at lcbcccom@lanecountyor.gov and ask them to support EPUD’s Short Mountain power plant rather than building the expensive new IMERF facility.

In the video above, EPUD General Manager Kyle Roadman speaks with Facilities Supervisor Jason Rice about the Short Mountain Power Plant. The two discuss the history of the plant and the important work performed there.