Calvert County planning commission recommends amendment to solid-waste plan to allow new Prince Frederick recycling transfer station

The Calvert County Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended that the county adopt a text amendment to its 2019—2028 comprehensive solid waste management plan to allow a privately financed recycling and transfer station proposed for 5340 Catch Road in Prince Frederick.

Maria Labruska, chief of the Solid Waste Division in the Department of Public Works, read a staff memo describing the proposed facility and its role. "The facility will be a privately owned and financed" operation that will require a Maryland Department of the Environment refuse/disposal permit, she said, and staff noted a permitted capacity of 750 tons per day of nonhazardous construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

The memo said C&D received at the facility would be separated and sent to permitted processing and recycling facilities rather than being directly disposed. Staff said the facility is intended to provide services to Calvert and neighboring Southern Maryland counties; fiscal impacts were described as "unknown until the facility is in operation." The Solid Waste Division recommended the Planning Commission consider finding the proposed text amendment consistent with the Calvert County comprehensive plan and recommend adoption by the Board of County Commissioners or, alternatively, find it consistent with conditions or not consistent.

Commissioners pressed staff on whether the amendment was a prerequisite to permitting. Labruska said the MDE requires that a facility be included in the county's comprehensive plan before MDE will issue the disposal permit. "The facility won't be able to move forward without the amendment to the text to include that, so that then they can receive a permit," she said.

Andrew Springer, an applicant representative who identified himself as a partner in "Sun" during testimony, told the commission the operator expects most material to be generated within Calvert County but acknowledged some material might come from neighboring jurisdictions. "We may see some small amounts of materials from neighboring jurisdictions, but we believe the lion's share will be generated within the county," he said. Springer and staff clarified the facility would accept direct-haul loads and roll-off containers from haulers and construction businesses rather than regular residential vehicles, and that the site would separate materials for onward recycling rather than performing final processing on site.

Planning staff and the applicant confirmed that Calvert County does not currently recycle C&D waste and that, at present, such material is being taken to facilities in Virginia. Labruska said the proposed local facility would provide a new opportunity to recycle that material and that the county would record the recycling in its annual reporting if the operator reports the data.

A commissioner moved that the Planning Commission find text amendment Case 26 01 consistent with the Calvert County comprehensive plan and recommend adoption by the Board of County Commissioners. After a second the motion carried on an affirmative voice vote.

The Planning Commission's recommendation moves the text amendment to the Board of County Commissioners for final action; staff noted further permitting with MDE is required before the facility can operate.