Drafter
Clerk 06/13/2025
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AN ORDINANCE authorizing the King County executive to enter into an agreement with respect to the purchase of the landfill gas processing plant located at the Cedar Hills regional landfill.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The Cedar Hills regional landfill ("the landfill") produces landfill gas, a valuable green energy resource created by the anaerobic decomposition of organic wastes, containing methane, carbon dioxide, and trace concentrations of other compounds that may be utilized as a marketable energy product.
2. In 2003, Ordinance 14723 authorized the King County executive to enter into agreements with Bio Energy (Washington), LLC ("Bio Energy"), for the sale and conversion into energy of landfill gas generated by the landfill ("the original project agreements"). In accordance with the original project agreements, Bio Energy developed, built, and owns a landfill gas processing plant located on property at the landfill leased to Bio Energy by the county ("the plant").
3. In 2007, Ordinance 15872 authorized the King County executive to execute an Amended and Restated Project Development and Gas Sales Agreement and an Amended and Restated Plant Site Lease with Bio Energy.
4. Bio Energy maintained and operated the plant from October 2010 until August 2023, when Bio Energy shut down its operation of the plant.
5. In April 2023, Bio Energy filed a lawsuit against King County, in United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Case No. 2:23-cv-00542-LK ("the litigation"), alleging breach of contract and other causes of action. King County disputes Bio Energy's claims and filed multiple counterclaims against Bio Energy in the litigation.
6. In March 2025, King County and Bio Energy participated in a mediation with United States Magistrate Judge S. Kate Vaughn and reached a tentative settlement agreement to fully resolve the litigation.
7. The terms of the settlement agreement required the county to negotiate...
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