[Press Release] : U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Award Program recognizes Columbia’s Biogas Energy Plant

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2008

Contact: Renee Graham
Public Communications Officer
(573) 874-7316

U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Award Program recognizes Columbia’s
Biogas Energy Plant with Outstanding Achievement Award during U.S.
Conference of Mayors National Conference

	(COLUMBIA, MISOURI) -- Columbia’s investment in a biogas
energy plant was recognized with an Outstanding Achievement Award during
the 2008 Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards ceremony. Mayor Darwin
Hindman accepted the award Friday, June 20, at the U.S. Conference of
Mayor’s annual meeting in Miami, Fla. 
	Sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wal-Mart Stores
Inc., the Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards recognize and honor mayors
and communities who are leading efforts to curb global warming and
increase energy efficiency. A panel of judges evaluated over 60
applications on the following criteria: mayoral leadership, creativity
and innovation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or improved
quality of life. 
	Columbia received an Outstanding Achievement Award in the
“energy source” category for small cities. The biogas energy
plant reduces greenhouse emissions and plays an important role in
achieving the public mandate that calls for the city’s energy
portfolio to include renewable sources.  
	Dedicated in December 2007, the plant uses methane and other
landfill gases to generate electricity. The plant can produce enough
electricity to power 1,500 homes in Columbia. As landfill gas volumes
increase, biogas energy is expected to supply 2.5 percent of the
community’s power needs. 
	 “This plant provides a complete recycling loop. The trash
that citizens leave on the curb is literally returned to them in the
form of electricity,” says Hindman. 
	City Manager Bill Watkins credits the citizens of Columbia for
supporting the plant, which was part of a $60 million bond issue that
passed in 2006 with an 86 percent favorable vote. According to Watkins,
the plant was estimated to cost $3 million, but the Public Works and
Water and Light departments collaborated to build the project for $2.85
million. 
	“Our citizens made an important investment in Columbia’s
future. I’m pleased that our utility departments honored that
investment by bringing the project in on time and under budget,” says
Watkins.
	Outstanding Achievement awards in other categories were
presented to Chapel Hill, N.C.; Highland Park, Ill.; and Orland Park,
Ill. The overall first place honor in the small city category went to
Carmel, Ind. for that city’s efforts to install
environmentally-friendly roundabouts that smooth traffic flow while
providing extra safety benefits and cost savings.  
	For more information on the Biogas Energy Plant, contact Connie
Kacprowicz, Columbia Water and Light, at 874-7330. Columbia landfill
questions can be directed to Public Works’ Solid Waste Utility Manager
Richard Wieman at 874-6290. Information about the Mayors’ Climate
Protection Awards can be found online at www.usmayors.org.

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