Committee presses DEP on RRF repairs and MRBT planning as proposed solid‑waste fees rise sharply

The Transportation and Environment Committee spent the last portion of its April 24 meeting on recycling, resource management and a dispute over the county's municipal solid waste future after DEP presented an FY26 disposal fund that would drive steep service‑charge increases.

DEP staff said the disposal fund operating budget shows an assumed increase of roughly $43.6 million driven principally by short‑term repairs at the Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) and higher out‑of‑county disposal and ash fees. To ensure continuity of operations under a negotiated five‑year contract extension, DEP asked for critical repairs at the RRF to keep equipment running safely and within permit: examples included boiler and water‑wall tube replacements, auxiliary gas burner repairs for emissions control, bag‑house re‑plating and duct replacement, and crane work. DEP said an independent engineering review pared the list to items considered necessary for reliable operation.

In the morning the executive recommended $35.5M in short‑term repairs for FY26; while in session DEP and County Finance revised that request to about $28.5M for FY26 and spread other projects into later years to reduce immediate rate impacts. The proposed MRBT alternative — a materials recovery and biological treatment facility that would divert recyclables and stabilize organics — would require planning/design funding of about $12M in FY26 and additional funds in 2027–28; DEP staff said MRBT ranked highest in options analysis for carbon reduction and diversion but emphasized that transitioning the 600,000‑ton system is complex and requires further Council decisions.

Committee members repeatedly urged caution about approving large capital projects before the council has received the consultant analysis; several members said they would prefer a full‑council conversation rather than resolving multi‑decade disposal policy in a committee meeting. Committee members also pressed DEP for a monthly status report, an itemized breakdown of the revised repair list and estimates of what would be avoidable if the county accelerated closure of the RRF or selected a different disposal path.

Chair Glass and others said the collection fund (smaller and less controversial) could be approved as recommended; by contrast, the committee declined to take final action on the disposal fund and MRBT CIP amendment, asking staff to bring the finalized consultant analysis and to brief the full council before binding capital commitments.

Next steps: DEP expects to finalize the system alternatives analysis within one to two months and will provide the committee and full council with the report; the committee will hold a full‑council discussion on solid‑waste strategy and consider fee/resolution action in mid‑May.