Bowerman Power Renewable Natural Gas Plant Project

The Bowerman Power Renewable Natural Gas Plant Project is a landfill gas-to-renewable natural gas initiative led by Orange County Waste & Recycling in Irvine, California, aimed at capturing and upgrading landfill gas (LFG) that would otherwise be flared at the adjacent Bowerman Power Plant. The facility will process up to 6,000 standard cubic feet per minute of LFG, converting methane from decomposing organic waste into pipeline-ready renewable natural gas (RNG) for direct injection into the SoCalGas transmission system, eliminating the need for storage. This project aligns with California's Renewable Gas Program and supports regional sustainability goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to preventing the decomposition of landfill waste over a 1.5-year period. The RNG plant is not designed for storage and operates solely as a processing and delivery conduit to the existing gas grid. Construction and operations are governed by strict environmental compliance requirements, including adherence to California Ambient Air Quality Standards, EPA 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart JJJJ, and Tier 4 Final engine standards for construction equipment. Air quality impacts are modeled using CalEEMod, and emissions limits such as ≤ 0.06 lb/MMBtu NOx for flares are enforced. Specialized mitigation measures are mandated under CEQA, including mandatory tribal cultural resource monitoring by a qualified representative from the Kizh Nation during all excavation and grading activities, with work halting immediately upon discovery of cultural materials and requiring 24-hour notification to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Paleontological monitoring is required for excavations exceeding one foot in undetermined zones or 15 feet in Holocene sediments, with authority granted to halt work for fossil recovery. All grading plans must prominently state that tribal monitoring is required. The plant’s pipeline will connect to the SoCalGas system at Portola Parkway and Jeffery Road, where formal acceptance by Orange County Waste & Recycling will occur. Despite comprehensive environmental and operational specifications, the contract lacks specified monetary value, payment terms, invoicing systems, accounting data, or formally designated contract administration personnel such as a COR or PCO. No solicitation number, contract type, or award evaluation criteria are documented, and socioeconomic certifications or entity identification codes are not provided. The project’s success hinges on strict adherence to environmental reporting, real-time cultural resource protection, and emission control standards, with all documentation submitted to OCWR via email or mail by the October 1, 2025 deadline.