HVRC's Mid-Hudson Landfill Biofilters Project
Overview | Participating Municipalities | Background Info
Landfill Project Summary
HVRC secured a $3 million grant to mitigate methane emissions at Mid-Hudson landfills. The project officially got under contract and kicked off on November 1, 2024. The goal of the project is to install biofilters to reduce methane emissions at 13 closed landfills in municipalities in the Mid-Hudson Region. Biofilters are a reliable and cost-effective solution for reducing landfill gas (LFG) emissions by utilizing methanotrophs, specialized bacteria capable of converting landfill methane to less harmful gases. The project also includes an optional solar and battery storage feasibility study component, as well as pollinator plantings.
Project Overview
- Complete a Quality Assurance Project Plan and Quality Management Plan, as required by the EPA.
- Acquire necessary equipment for landfill gas (LFG) measurement and monitoring.
- Conduct landfill evaluations to locate methane vents and conduct baseline testing to estimate LFG emissions volume.
- Design individualized biofilter solutions at participating landfills.
- Implement and monitor biofilter solutions through 2029.
- Optional Component: Price and design landfill solar and battery storage solution, as needed, aimed at repurposing the landfill site for renewable energy generation and economic benefits, with options for ownership or leasing arrangement. The inclusion of native pollinators is also an optional project component.
Participating Municipalities
- City of Beacon (Dutchess County)
- Dutchess County (landfill located in Town of Wappingers, Dutchess County)
- Town of Amenia (Dutchess County)
- Town of Bethel (Sullivan County)
- Town of Gardiner (Ulster County)
- Town of Hurley (Ulster County)
- Town of New Paltz (Ulster County)
- Town of North East (Dutchess County)
- Town of Philipstown (Putnam County)
- Town of Rhinebeck (Dutchess County)
- Town of Wallkill (Orange County)
- Town of Woodstock (Ulster County)
- Village of Mamaroneck (Westchester County)
Background Information
The project is being funded by the Federal EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Implementation Program: $5 billion in grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop and implement plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution. Authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), this two-phase program provides $250 million for noncompetitive planning grants, and approximately $4.6 billion for competitive implementation grants.
- HVRC's Selected Application Information
- Other CPRG Program Selected Applications
- Press Release: EPA Highlights $3 Million for Community-Driven Solutions to Cut Climate Pollution Across the Hudson Valley in New York, September 13, 2024
- EPA awards nonprofit $3 million to reduce methane emissions from Hudson Valley landfills, Times Union, September 16, 2024
Cohort Meetings
During the course of the project, the participating municipalities will meet on a regular basis for updates and to share learnings.
Additional Resources
- EPA: Apply Biofilters or Biocovers
- "Mitigation of Methane, NMVOCs and Odor Emissions in Active and Passive Biofiltration Systems at Municipal Solid Waste Landfills", by I Pecorini, E Rossi, & R Iannelli, MDPI, 2020
- "Mitigation of Methane and Trace Gas Emissions trough Large-Scale Active Biofilter System at Glatved landfill, Denmark", by Z Duan, P O'Connor, R Hansen, C Scheutz, & P Kjeldsen, Elsevier, 2020
- "Technologies and Management Options for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Landfills", SCS Engineers Report to the California Integrated Waste Managment Board, 2008
- Federal Funding opportunities that align with state climate action plans.
Press for Landfill Biofilters Project
- Landfill Filters Coming to Beacon, Philipstown
- EPA awards $3 million to reduce pollution at Hudson Valley landfills
- EPA awards nonprofit $3M to cut landfill methane
- EPA Highlights $3 Million for Community-Driven Solutions to Cut Climate Pollution Across the Hudson Valley in New York
- EPA Gives $3M To Cut Pollution From Closed HV Landfills
- Woodstock Moves to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Former Town Landfill
Example biofilter implementation:

Example biofilter diagram:



