County scraps plans for waste-to-energy incinerator
The Board of County Commissioners broke plans Thursday for a regional waste-to-energy incinerator, preferring to haul the county’s waste to a landfill using a short-term contract instead. Commissioners Paul Smith and Billy Shreve cast the dissenting votes to maintain the job on the dining table while the county investigates its options. “It is absolutely no charge to the county to maintain these options open,” Smith stated. “To do away with these choices is mad.” Terminating the undertaking will not cost the county any money as the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, a quasi-governmental service that helps the county meet its trash disposal needs, will cover the $500,000 conclusion fee. Any remaining funds after this payment will be divided between Frederick County and Carroll County, which was once a partner in the undertaking. These funds are out of payments the authority has obtained from Wheelabrator after the service contract has been…