This post has been submitted by Dan Andrews, Catoctin Group Chair
After an 8-10 year struggle, the incredibly expensive 1,500 tons-per-day Frederick and Carroll County regional waste incinerator is finally dead. Last Thursday (Nov. 20th), the Frederick County Board of Commissioners voted 3 to 2 to terminate the project as well as five approved MDE permits.
Over the years, many local residents in both counties formed grassroots groups and worked with several environmental organizations, viz: Clean Water Action, Chesapeacke Climate Action Network, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Community-Research, Energy Justice, No-Incinerator-Alliance, Environmental Integrity Project and the Sierra Club to stop this awful, awful project.
Very concerning financial contract details surrounding the project lead Carroll County to exit the dual county partnership last April, on Earth Day of 2014 - perhaps a wonderful coincidence. Without a replacement partner and upon further review of the finances, Frederick County couldn't proceed as well.
This is wonderful news. Now, Fredericktonians won't have to meet monthly payments for a trash burner, will preserve waste resources, breathe cleaner air, and preserve the viewshed of the proposed site-adjacent historic Monocacy Battlefield. And, they can begin to transition their county with zero waste methodologies.
These include: waste reduction and reuse, maximize curbside recycling collection, expand business recycling, explore Save/Pay-As-You-Throw (SAYT/PAYT) possibilities, build Materials Recovery Facilities, build Construction and Demolition Recycling Facilities, promote institutional compost collection and build windrow composting facilities.
With courage, determination and a willingness to change, their future is much brighter without a regional waste incinerator.
To read more about the County’s decision, see the news report here.
Dan Andrews
Chair – Catoctin Group, Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club
**Image sourced from the No Incinerator Alliance facebook page