VICTORY: Environmental Justice and Zero Waste Win over Increased Trash Burning in Minneapolis, MN

Min­neapo­lis res­i­dents have just stopped the planned expan­sion of the trash incin­er­a­tor in their city, and have set their coun­ty on the path to zero waste! The Hen­nepin Ener­gy Recov­ery Cen­ter (HERC), is capa­ble of burn­ing 1,212 tons of trash a day, but has been lim­it­ed by per­mits to burn­ing 1,000 tons/day. The coun­ty has been seek­ing to expand this to burn the full 1,212 tons/day, but just with­drew their request under pres­sure from the community.

Com­mu­ni­ty orga­niz­ers made this a defin­ing issue in recent elec­tions and shift­ed the polit­i­cal cli­mate, get­ting a major­i­ty of Min­neapo­lis City Coun­cil and the may­or to oppose the expan­sion. The coun­ty is now mov­ing toward zero waste, with a require­ment to start curb-side col­lec­tion of organ­ics for com­post­ing. This new path has some city offi­cials already talk­ing about even­tu­al­ly clos­ing the 25-year old incin­er­a­tor for good.

Con­grat­u­la­tions to Lara Norkus-Cramp­ton RN (Min­neapo­lis Neigh­bors for Clean Air), Karen Mon­a­han (Sier­ra Club), Nan­cy Hone (Neigh­bors Against the Burn­er), Alan Muller, Josh Win­ter (MPIRG), State Rep. Frank Horn­stein, Con­gress­man Kei­th Elli­son, Neigh­bors Orga­nized for Change, and oth­er com­mu­ni­ty lead­ers who made this vic­to­ry possible.

Ener­gy Jus­tice played a small role, vis­it­ing with local activists last year and sup­port­ing them with infor­ma­tion, includ­ing research show­ing that this incin­er­a­tor has the 3rd worst racial dis­par­i­ty in the industry.

This is incin­er­a­tor vic­to­ry #2 for 2014, fol­low­ing the last mon­th’s vic­to­ry against the tire incin­er­a­tor in White Deer, PA. Many more to fol­low. Stay tuned!

For more info on this vic­to­ry, see:

• Hen­nepin Coun­ty drops request to increase burn­ing at HERC
• Hen­nepin Coun­ty ends garbage fight with Minneapolis
• Com­mu­ni­ty Pow­er and No HERC Expansion