Trash-to-gas plant approved by Lake County Solid Waste Management District

The move means that Powers Energy will be the disposal site for garbage collected in any Lake County city that joins in the contract agreement. Powers Energy plans to, rather than bury the garbage in a landfill, convert it into ethanol at the rate of about 70 gallons per ton of garbage.

About 70 people attended the public meeting Thursday night, with many opposing the approval of the contract since it does not contain a description of where the proposed plant will be located.

During public testimony before the vote, the Rev. Dwight Gardner, president of the Northwest Indiana Federation, formerly the Interfaith Federation, said, "It is absolutely an error; it is unfair to the people who have to deal with this plant to vote this plant through without identifying where (it will be)."

The board made a motion to amend their resolution approving the contract to require that the local government where the plant will be located approve the location.

Whether that means the public near the site will be on board remains to be seen, however, and Gardner said his group would base its support of the location based on the nearby community's support.

The vote brings a 2-1/2-year process to a close. Several board members asked a flurry of questions before the two-decade long contract was voted on, seeking last-minute assurance of their positions.

Robert Carnahan, representing Cedar Lake, referenced the struggling economy as the last, best reason to bring a garbage-to-ethanol plant to Lake County, which promises to employ more than 100 people.

"We need to do something to bring jobs to this county," he said.

The contract does allow for the plant to bring in garbage from outside the county, which could be important in its initial startup while Lake County municipalities are still waiting for current waste disposal contracts to expire.