The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted to amend a previous ordinance in the County Code that will now halt the proposed construction of a waste-to-energy plant in Stafford.
The waste-to-energy plant was to be built on leased land where the regional landfill in Stafford is currently located on Eskimo Hill Road. The plant would have changed how the County would handle some of their waste disposal, using a process of pyrolosis, which heats waste to convert it into electricity.
The proposal brought forth included a $100,000 lease per year for the facility, which would cover 120,000 square feet, employ 60 people, bring $65 million to the area, and an provide an advance of $1 million to make modifications to Eskimo Hill Road, which leads up to the plant.
Originally the Board voted in March of 2013 to allow for the power generating facility to be built on the site. While the plant had potential to heat up to 1,300 homes in the area, strong environmental concerns were brought up by Stafford residents and elected officials, with a request to revisit the issue.
In October of 2013, the Board conferred with the Planning Commission, asking them to consider a repeal of the approval of power generating facilities on the site. The revision was recommended by the Planning Commission, and the Board amended their earlier decision to provide permissions on the site at their February 4 meeting. This revision will require a conditional use permit (CUP) for the project to move forward.
While the development of the waste-to-energy plant is still possible, developers of the site will need to go through the CUP process. The CUP will allow for public hearings to take place, where residents can address their concerns about the plant. More information on speaking in a public hearing can be found here.
No hearings have been officially set for the project to date.
