Irwindale : Hearing Set on Waste Plant

The state Energy Commission will conduct a hearing at 10 a.m. Sept. 3 in Sacramento to consider Pacific Waste Management Corp.’s appeal of an order that threatens the company’s plan to build a waste-to-energy plant in Irwindale.

Pacific Waste’s application for a permit to build an electricity-generating plant that would burn 3,000 tons of trash a day has been suspended until the company lines up contracts for 75% of the needed trash. The commission staff contends that it must know the source of the trash to evaluate whether a waste incineration plant is preferable to other means of disposal. The company argues that it is impractical and unwise financially to sign trash contracts years before the plant can be built.

The waste supply issue is one of two problems stalling action on the permit. Pacific Waste also must compensate for air contaminants that would be emitted from the plant by reducing pollution from other sources. Pacific Waste must file an air pollution “offset” package and line up waste contracts by Oct. 1 or face a hearing to terminate the application.

Steven Broiles, attorney for Pacific Waste, said he believes that the company can meet the air pollution requirement. But, he said, he will ask the commission at the Sept. 3 hearing to cancel the waste supply requirement or at least give the company more time to secure contracts.