Manatee County is moving ahead with a landfill gas-to-energy project at the Lena Road Landfill that should appeal to anyone who cares about fiscal responsibility and local control.

Under a new partnership with Nopetro Energy and Johnson Controls, a $50 million facility will capture methane that’s currently being burned off and convert it into renewable natural gas (RNG). Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with operations starting in 2027.

Instead of paying to manage a waste byproduct, the county will lease the site and landfill gas rights so private partners can upgrade that gas and sell it on the open market. That means a new revenue stream for Manatee County without raising taxes. County Commission Chair George Kruse called it “a free revenue source on stuff that we’re currently just burning off,” adding that the board “owe[s] it to the taxpayers to try to maximize outside revenue so we can eliminate some of their costs.

The project is expected to cut emissions equivalent to the CO₂ from 5.3 million gallons of gasoline each year and produce enough energy to power more than 4,500 Florida homes, while supporting around 50 construction jobs and 5 permanent positions locally.