Montgomery County Council Approves $356 Million Incinerator Modernization

The Montgomery County Council voted 6-5 on Tuesday to approve a nonbinding resolution to keep the Dickerson Resource Recovery Facility open and modernize its infrastructure. The plan includes a $356 million investment to refurbish the trash incinerator and construct a new food-waste composting facility to reduce the volume of burned waste.

Council President Natali Fani-González championed the measure, arguing that maintaining the facility prevents the county from becoming dependent on out-of-state landfills in Virginia. She noted that closing the plant would require sending 80 trucks daily to another state, which she characterized as an environmental issue and a risk to local control.

The decision opposed the position of outgoing County Executive Marc Elrich, who advocated for closing the plant due to public health, equity, and environmental concerns. Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe also voted for closure, citing negative health impacts on residents. Opponents highlighted the facility's history of exceeding emissions limits in 2025, while the Sugarloaf Citizens Association suggested modernization costs could actually reach $1 billion.

Incoming County Executive Will Jawando also voted against the plan, citing a lack of clarity regarding final costs and pending requests for proposals. Because the resolution is nonbinding, Jawando, who takes office on December 7, retains the potential to reverse the decision or negotiate a contract that includes new technology to reduce emissions and extract recyclable metals from ash residue.