MASON CITY – The Landfill of North Iowa Board met Thursday night, and the Creative Energy Systems (CES) waste to gas plant was a big topic.
CES wants to build a trash to energy plant on Mason City’s south side that would divert about 250 tons of trash a day from the landfill to their new plant. They would keep dozens of tons of trash in a holding facility at the plant so that the plant could operate on days no trash is picked up.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources had representatives there, as well as concerned citizens.
None of the three newly-elected members of the Mason City City Council were there, but Scott Tornquist and Travis Hickey showed up, as did runner-up in the at-large race Sandra Servantez. Current at-large councilman Max Weaver still sits on the Landfill Board and was in attendance.
The word on the street is that Mayor Bookmeyer wants Weaver off the Landfill Board. That board position, representing Mason City, carries a 30% weighted vote and could go a long ways toward de-railing the CES project.
CES engineer Rod Flores was at the meeting with his attorney Jacqueline Aurthur.
Sources tell NorthIowaToday.com that more questions about the project were raised than answered. The biggest topic of contention seems to be whether or not the proposed plant would have emissions or not. CES has said in the past that the plant would have no emissions; they have also said the plant would have very little emissions. Those against the plant want that point clarified.
Concerns were raised about the November 16th public meeting on the waste to gas plant.
One dissenter who has concerns about that public forum said “We are past CES on this. We know their answers to the questions. We want answers from the experts.”
