Lorton, Va. –– The debate over what to do with a waste-to-energy plant in Lorton continues weeks after officials thought they had a solution.
The incinerator plant sits on county-owned land in Lorton and is operated by Covanta, an energy firm that for the last 30 years has leased the facility from Fairfax County.
County officials thought they had a deal in March that would extend the lease until 2041.
Now officials say that deal is off because certain undisclosed terms have not been agreed to, reports the Fairfax Times.
In a statement from Covanta, the company says both parties should return to the table and continue negotiations on terms originally agreed upon in March.
This week the county’s Board of Supervisors ordered county staff to explore all legal options available to hold the company to the agreement.
The collapsed deal comes after officials toyed with the idea of purchasing the plant for $400 million. Residents and business owners balked at the plan, saying it was not the right move in tough economic times.
The county’s current contract with Covanta is up in 2016, the Times reports.
All trash in the county, aside from recyclables, is processed at the incinerator.
