Three public meetings will be held to both give out information and gather input from the public for the ongoing Jackson County Landfill Methane Recovery Project.

The project will use methane gas from the old county landfill near Dillsboro to fuel operations such as pottery studios, glassblowing, blacksmithing and other metalwork, greenhouses, botanicals and wild herb processing, and other heat-intensive businesses. Other possible uses for the site include the incorporation of an auditorium and open-air café.

“So far all of the collection wells are in place and that’s as far as they’ve gotten in terms of what’s on the ground,” said project manager Timm Muth, referring to the units that will capture the landfill’s methane so that it may be processed for use.

The gas recovery project is modeled after the EnergyXchange Renewable Energy Center at the Mitchell-Yancey landfill, the first glass blowing and pottery-making operation in the world fueled by landfill gas. The concept for the center was conceived by the community as a way to use the methane generated by the 300,000 tons of trash decomposing in its old landfill.

In comparison, Jackson County’s landfill holds nearly 420,000 tons of trash. It is estimated that the methane will produce a gas flow rate of 126 cubic feet per minute, or 2.9 million kilowatt hours of energy per year until 2028. Currently the methane generated by the landfill is vented off, which contributes to global warming.

The goal is for the first greenhouses to be operating by summer of 2006.

Meetings regarding the project will be held at the Jackson County Justice Center, Room 215 (jury room), from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Potters, glassblowers, metalworkers, other craftspeople are scheduled to meet Oct. 31. Farmers, greenhouse and nursery operators, or those with other agriculture interests will meet Nov. 1. Botanicals processers, wildcrafters, or those with other drying needs will meet Nov. 2.

Anyone interested in the project is encouraged to attend. Those unable to attend also may share their thoughts with Project Manager Timm Muth by calling 828.631.0271 or emailing tmuth@jacksonnc.org.