Waste Not! Carroll

Posted: Friday, May 21, 2010 in the Carroll County Times

 

By Bruce Holstein |

 

 

 

This is in response to Mike Evans' May 12 letter, "Waste to energy a good concept," where he says "fact based debate is at the core of our social being."

 

In another May 12 article titled "Costs of incinerator discussed," Evans says the incinerator's cost will be paid by income generated by the facility and users of the incinerator, or those who bring their trash to the county landfill. He also said that none of the construction cost would be paid with tax money.

 

The financial data Evans quoted comes from a planning document for 2015. Here are some other facts from the same document. If we are going to have a fact-based debate, let's include all the facts.

 

The plan includes $13 million in electricity revenue, which is Carroll County's portion of the revenue. The estimate for total plant electricity revenue is $33.2 million and is based on full plant capacity of 1,500 tons per day and 750 kilowatts per ton of trash. Both of these assumptions are extremely optimistic. Montgomery County has a larger 1,800 ton-per-day incinerator and its actual revenue from electricity in fiscal year 2008 was $26.4 million.

 

The tipping fee would be raised to $85 per ton to make an additional $11 million in revenue, but that only covers the 2015 plant operating loss. There is nothing included in the $85 for the cost of the existing landfill operation. The plan also shows any shortfall in plant revenue or cost overruns would require tax increases or higher tipping fees.

 

Evans predicts $4.4 million by selling additional capacity to other local governments. Ironically, the tipping fee for out-of-county haulers would be $67. This is $18 per ton lower than the price charged to Carroll residents who are guaranteeing the $240 million capital investment. Additionally, 19,000 tons of ash will be shipped back and buried in our Northern Landfill.

 

Evans said no tax money would be involved in building the plant, but he left out the fact that higher tipping fees will lead to increases in our trash collection bills.

 

Waste-to-energy may be a good concept, but it is a bad deal for Carroll County residents. Here's a better deal: The county should withdraw from the project and buy the excess capacity it needs at $67 per ton. It's a lot cheaper and we don't get any of the ash back.

 

Bruce Holstein

 

Taylorsville