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Waste‑to‑energy plan pushed as landfill nears capacity; proponent seeks Mayor’s Council support
Summary
Dave Sablan of Guam Resource Recovery Partners told the Mayor’s Council that a waste‑to‑energy plant could cut landfill volume 90 percent, produce electricity and cost about $200 million; he requested a council resolution to advance the project to the legislature.
Dave Sablan, representing Guam Resource Recovery Partners, briefed the Mayor’s Council of Guam on Feb. 5 about a proposed waste‑to‑energy (incineration with energy recovery) project and asked the council for support in moving a resolution and legislative action.
Sablan said a properly designed facility would burn the combustible fraction of municipal solid waste, produce steam to run turbines and generate electricity, and reduce landfill volume by about 90 percent. “The incinerator boils the water, the water creates steam, the steam turns the turbine, the turbine turns the generator, and you have electricity,” Sablan told mayors.
Why it matters: Sablan said Lezon (the island landfill referenced in the meeting) is filling cells at a pace that will require either new cells or a new approach; he estimated the capital cost for a facility sized to Guam’s waste stream at roughly $200 million and a construction timeline of about 2½ to 3 years. He told mayors the project could lower per‑ton disposal costs (he cited current collection/transport costs to the landfill at roughly $230/ton versus a projected $60–$80/ton for incineration) and produce electricity that would be delivered to the Guam Power Authority.
Sablan addressed environmental controls, saying modern facilities operate at much higher temperatures than backyard burning and use scrubbers and continuous emissions monitoring to meet regulatory limits. He also said the project’s license traces to earlier contract arrangements and that parts of past agreements were amended; he asked the Mayor’s Council to consider a resolution backing legislative steps to clear remaining procurement and permitting processes.
Concerns and follow-up: several mayors raised air‑quality and siting questions; Sablan said regulators such as the U.S. EPA and Guam authorities would set and enforce emissions limits and that the project team would conduct environmental and historic‑preservation reviews before construction. He said the project team has discussed potential sites and that siting options have included lands near existing power facilities and other government land, but negotiations and leases would need to be resolved.
Sablan said he prepared a draft resolution and asked the Mayor’s Council to consider endorsing it so the project proponents could approach the governor and the legislature. The council asked for the written packet Sablan referenced; staff said they would redistribute the materials electronically and follow up with additional briefings.
