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Developer seeks short-term site control in Burlington for large waste-to-fuel project
Summary
A developer asked the Burlington council for short-term site control of roughly eight acres (and considered repurposing the GE building) to secure investor financing for a proposed multi-unit waste-to-fuel facility that would convert mixed plastics into diesel-range fuel and carbon black; staff said a draft agreement and environmental review are in process.
A developer seeking private financing for a proposed waste-to-fuel facility asked the Burlington City Council for short-term site-control as part of a pitch aimed at investors to secure an estimated $135–150 million initial build-out.
Jonathan Hazel outlined a plan centered on catalytic thermal decomposition technology (marketed under the name Keepro in Hazel’s presentation) that he said can process mixed plastics into low-sulfur diesel and carbon black. Hazel described a phased deployment of 50-ton units (his team’s target is five units) and estimated each 50-ton unit could yield roughly 175 gallons of diesel per ton of plastic processed.
“We’ve done the logistics work and have potential buyers,” Hazel said, asking the city for a short-term site-control lease for about eight acres downtown so he can complete due diligence and finalize financing. Hazel said the team has discussed siting the facility in the former GE building (or adjacent acreage) and that the business model does not rely on local incentives: “Our model makes money without government incentives,” he told the council.
Staff said a draft short-term site-control agreement is in the packet and currently under legal review; no zoning approvals, site-plan review, or environmental permitting have been completed. Eric (city staff) and Mr. Bird told the council the agreement is preliminary and that more formal land-use review would be required before any industrial operations could proceed.
Council members asked about jobs, environmental impacts and emissions, feedstock logistics, and offtake (local buyers). Hazel estimated initial employment in the 80–100 job range and said his team has engaged logistics partners, rail and barge operators, and potential offtakers including regional fuel purchasers. He described the process as non-combustion (not incineration) and said steam and heat would be recaptured for building heating; Hazel also said the company has worked with engineers to prepare environmental-review materials for regulators.
Next steps: staff will continue negotiations on the short-term site-control agreement; the city attorney’s office is reviewing the draft; and any future plant would require site-plan review, zoning approvals, and applicable state and federal environmental permits before construction or operation.
