Politicians' Positions on the Waste-to-Energy Incinerator

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Frederick County Commissioner Linda Norris

Opposed to waste-to-energy incinerator

"I do not support the incinerator project. An incinerator, as a solid waste system, does not encourage the reduction of waste. An RFP for recycling/composting systems that would provide an alternative to the incinerator for handling a large portion of the county's waste should be the first order of business for the new board."

From the Gazette:

As the county's former public information officer and the former manager of its recycling department, Norris, 47, says she understands how government works.

"I know the county government inside and out," she said while relaxing on a deck at her Lewistown home.

Norris said she managed the county's recycling department like a business, by marketing the service to residents and businesses. She supervised a staff of five, whose job it was to educate and promote the benefits of recycling to the community.

Norris also became familiar with incinerators or "waste-to-energy," facilities as some people call them because they burns trash to produce electricity.

The county is planning to build an incinerator with Carroll County, and share the estimated cost of $527 million. Frederick's share is $316 million (about 60 percent) and Carroll will pick up the remainder.

Though Norris said incineration technology has improved during the last 40 years, she worries that the financial costs will be too much for the county. "I visited a lot of facilities and learned a lot about the technology, and on the one hand, the technology has evolved, but it does seem to me to be a huge cost to the county," she said.

Norris said she is pleased with how far the county has come in the way of recycling, but thinks it can do better.

Visit Norris' website to view more about her views on incineration.