County not entirely thrilled with methane mandate

The Colusa County Board of Supervisors is popping $25,000 for a another gas monitoring well at the Stonyford Landfill.

The county is contracting with Haling & Associates, an environmental engineering firm in Chico, to get the work done before winter, according to Jim Bell, Colusa County Board of Supervisors.

Officials said the well would analyze methane gas at the site, and is required for the county to operate the landfill.

Supervisors said the project is one of many unfunded state mandates this year that is expected to hit hard county coffers.

"Twenty-five thousand doesn't sound like much," said Supervisor Gary Evans. "But when you multiply that by '200', it really adds up."

Failure to install the recommended monitoring wells would be considered non-compliance with the approved methane gas monitoring plan, and could result in a fine or loss of the county's operating permit, county officials said.

The contract will be funded out of the solid waste enterprise fund, and is included in the 2010-11 budget.

It's the fourth monitoring well to be drilled at the site, officials said.