A November 21 Frederick News-Post article reported that the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners has voted to kill plans for a regional waste-to-energy facility and instead approved a short-term landfill contract. As previously reported on Conduit Street, Carroll County had partnered with Frederick on the incinerator project but terminated its participation in April. From the News-Post article:
In a 3-2 vote, Commissioners President Blaine Young and commissioners Kirby Delauter and David Gray voted to kill the $471 million incinerator project by canceling the contract and related permits. Commissioners Paul Smith and Billy Shreve cast the dissenting votes to keep the project on the table while the county explores its options.
“It is absolutely no cost to the county to keep these options open,” Smith said. “To do away with these options is crazy.” …
However, Young said he saw no point in voting to keep plans for an incinerator, which would burn trash into energy, open since County Executive-elect Jan Gardner planned to scrap the facility after taking office Dec. 1. …
“I think you should terminate the whole thing,” Gardner testified in front of the board and roughly 100 people gathered at Winchester Hall, garnering some applause.
The article noted that the project cancellation will not cost the county any money – the $500,000 termination fee will be covered by the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority. In lieu of the waste-to-energy project, the commissioners unanimously approved a 5-year maximum contract to haul trash to an out-of-state landfill for $50.95 per ton.
