Politicians' Positions on the Waste-to-Energy Incinerator
Frederick County Commissioner Robert S. Craig
Opposed to waste-to-energy incinerator
"I have always opposed the current incinerator design, agreement and location."
Bob Craig has been instrumental in helping identify the financial pitfalls of the incinerator project in Frederick County.
Commissioner candidate Bob Craig has requested a copy of the RFP, but the NMWDA has ignored his request, along with many others. Read more.
From the Gazette article on Aug. 27, 2010:
On waste-to-energy, Craig has been digging through financial documents, trying to evaluate the risks to the county.
"I don't think we're getting the best deal," said Craig, who questioned why the county had opted to go with a plant that uses heat to create steam to generate electricity. He said a co-generation model, in which steam goes through turbines to make electricity and the residual steam is used for heating, would be better.
Craig is also concerned about other aspects of the design. He said the county could be stuck with expensive retrofitting projects if EPA standards change.
He also questioned whether the county's financial model was based on faulty assumptions, such as a 750-kilowatt energy production per ton of trash rate, which he considers too ambitious.
Craig wants to evaluate some of these assumptions, however.
