Meeting Called on I-95 Waste-to-Energy Facility

Fairfax County and Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland have announced that an information session will be held on the future of the I-95 Waste-to-Energy facility near Furnace Road. The session will be held on January 27th at 7 p.m. at South County Secondary School.

The future ownership of the facility has been a topic of discussion over the as a loophole in the contract between Covanta, which owns and operates the facility, and Fairfax County. The existing arrangement between the county and Covanta allows a brief window of time, which we are currently in, during which the county may explore the possibility of purchasing the facility. The present arrangement between the county and Covanta runs through 2016. Covanta has a lease with the county to use the land through 2031. Should the county opt to purchase the facility their ownership would become effective at the time of the decision. Should the county choose not to purchase the facility, the arrangement would continue as is through 2016.

Joyce Doughty, Director of the Division of Solid Waste Disposal & Recovery told Lorton Patch that there are plans for at least one additional information session, which would be held in the northern part of Fairfax County. That meeting will be held between now and February 8th.

Those seeking further information about the meeting or the plant should contact Marcia Hanson or Christine Morin in Supervisor Hyland's office at 703-780-7518 or by email at mtvernon@fairfaxcounty.gov.