On the Incinerator

Dear Commissioners, I think that moving ahead with the proposed incinerator takes us in the wrong direction for several reasons:

1. Cost. The escalating price-tag for the proposed plant and unanswered questions about the economic model mean the promised savings could evaporate very quickly.

2. Changing regulatory environment. New air quality standards from a back-on-the-job-again EPA could change the economics of the project overnight.

3. Recycling and re-use. A higher County-wide recycling rate and a commercial recycling program in the City of Frederick–this is long overdue and something I’m committed to–will reduce our trash volume. This would likely force the County to feed an incinerator with trash from many more counties to meet the terms of our contract with the operator.

4. Site. If the County commits to the proposed incinerator, parking it on the City of Frederick’s south side–in the neighborhood of thousands of families and businesses, close by our Monocacy River, and on the edge of the historic battlefield–is a mistake.

I made similar arguments in front of you earlier this year. I believe that significantly higher recycling,composting and re-use rates are possible, and that some combination of hauling, landfill, and emerging solid waste technologies are a better solution to our long-term problem.

Jason Judd
Frederick