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 Frequent Questions on LMOP
What is LMOP?
Why is LMOP promoting the use of landfill gas?
Why was LMOP created?
Who participates in LMOP?
What kind of project services does LMOP provide?
Does EPA regulate landfill gas?
What is LMOP?
The U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) is
a voluntary assistance program that helps to reduce methane
emissions from landfills by encouraging the recovery and
use of landfill gas (LFG) as an energy resource. LMOP forms
partnerships and agreements with communities, landfill owners,
utilities, power marketers, states, the LFG industry, tribes,
non-profit organizations, and trade associations to overcome
barriers to project development by helping them assess project feasibility,
find financing, and market the benefits of project development to the
community.
Why is LMOP promoting the use of landfill gas?
Using LFG is a win/win opportunity. Landfill gas utilization
projects involve citizens in sustainable community planning
and create partnerships. Plus, these projects go hand-in-hand
with community commitments to cleaner air, improved public
welfare and safety, and reductions in greenhouse (global
warming) gases. By linking communities with innovative ways
to deal with their LFG, LMOP contributes to the creation
of livable communities that enjoy increased environmental protection,
better waste management, and responsible community planning.
Why was LMOP created?
Municipal solid waste landfills are the largest source of methane emissions
in the United States generated by human activity, accounting for about
25% of these emissions in 2004. At the same time, methane emissions from landfills
represent a lost opportunity to capture and use a significant energy resource.
EPA launched LMOP to encourage productive use of this resource as part
of the United States' commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Who participates in LMOP?
LMOP participants include LMOP Industry Partners, such as LFG project
developers, equipment suppliers, financiers and end-users; LMOP State
Partners, who provide permitting, incentive programs, and regulatory guidance;
LMOP Energy Partners, energy service providers who are interested in LFG
projects (utilities do not have to currently be involved in a project
to participate in the program); LMOP Community Partners, who include communities
and landfill owner/operators; and LMOP Endorsers, non-profits coordinating
with EPA to promote LFG among their members or constituents.
What kind of project services does LMOP provide?
LMOP provides technical, informational, and marketing services,
such as: ·
- Technical assistance, guidance materials, and software to assess
a potential project's economic feasibility;
- Assistance in creating partnerships and locating financing
for projects;
- Informational materials to help educate the community and
the local media about the benefits of LFG; and
- Networking opportunities with peers and LFG experts to allow
communities to share challenges and successes.
Does EPA regulate landfill
gas?
The U.S. EPA regulates LFG under the New Source Performance Standards
and Emissions Guidelines (NSPS/EG) for municipal solid waste landfills.
These regulations target emissions of non-methane organic compounds, requiring
owners/operators of larger landfills to collect and combust their LFG.
Under the new regulations, landfill owner/operators can either flare or
capture and use the LFG as a renewable energy resource. For rule and implementation
information for standards of performance for municipal solid waste landfills,
go to EPA's
Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Web site.
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