Montgomery County Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Sidney Katz will host a town hall Sept. 2 to discuss potential community impacts of a proposal to change how the County handles its solid waste.
The Montgomery County Council is expected to further review a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) proposal this fall that would have County waste transported by truck to an out-of-County landfill. The approach would replace the existing system of primarily transporting waste by train to the County’s Resource Recovery Facility, commonly known as the incinerator, and would allow the facility to close.
A shift to long-haul landfilling would require additional operations at the Shady Grove Transfer Station. Luedtke and Katz, whose districts include communities near the facility, said the Sept. 2 meeting will give residents and businesses an opportunity to hear directly from DEP representatives and ask questions.
Potential impacts to be discussed include additional truck traffic and a proposed Advanced Waste Processing facility.
“It is critical to assess potential impacts and concerns of all communities that would be affected by a change in how Montgomery County collects and handles trash,” Luedtke said. “It is important the Council is examining this once-in-a-generation and irreversible change in detail and the Sept. 2 meeting will give residents and business owners in the growing communities around the Shady Grove Transfer Station a chance to understand what this may mean for them.”
“It is essential that the community understands the options and potential impacts of the proposed solid waste plans,” Katz said. “As the Council begins its work this fall, we are committed to getting resident feedback on priorities, concerns and expectations.”
The Council held an initial briefing on solid waste options July 28 and is expected to continue discussing the proposals this fall, including their potential impact on future capital budgets and the County’s Ten-Year Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan.
The town hall will take place Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the MCDOT Highway Services Depot, 17000 Crabbs Branch Way in Rockville. The meeting will include a presentation from DEP.
