Residents call on Hennepin County for clear plan to shut down HERC incinerator. Internal email suggests no closure is imminent

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Residents pressuring Hennepin County to close its trash incinerator are increasingly frustrated by the lack of a concrete closure date, which an internal email shows is unlikely to happen in the near future. 

Dozens addressed the County Board at a July 22 meeting, imploring officials to close the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, better known as the HERC, because of concerns over air pollution. In October 2023, after years of public pressure, commissioners approved a resolution asking county staff to put together a plan to shut down the controversial facility some time between 2028 and 2040. In response, county waste workers developed a list of steps they said need to be taken before the HERC could close. But no firm date or clear closure plan has been put in place since then. 

Randy Kiser, operations and compliance manager for Hennepin County’s solid waste and energy division, emailed Xcel Energy officials in September 2024 to assure them the HERC would remain open for the foreseeable future, according to records obtained via a data practices request that were shared with Sahan Journal. 

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The HERC, located next to Target Field on the north end of downtown Minneapolis, burns trash to generate steam, which produces electricity sold to companies like Xcel. Kiser told Xcel staff that he heard they believed the HERC would close soon, and wanted to correct the record.

“Hennepin County will continue to operate HERC into the future with no plans to terminate operation,” Kiser wrote on Sept. 11, 2024. 

Isuru Herath, an organizer with the Zero Burn Coalition, a group urging the closure of the HERC, said in an interview that the message shows a lack of urgency and transparency that’s upsetting to the community. 

“They’re extremely frustrated. There’s zero trust with the county,” Herath said. 

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Speakers addressing county commissioners criticized the lack of a closure plan and said the air pollution caused by the facility hurts people’s health every day it operates. 

“How many children with asthma attending schools in the HERC’s shadow must struggle to breathe before we say enough?” Janet Kitui, an Edina resident, asked the board. 

Lack of progress frustrates residents

Hennepin County officials say they need to make more progress toward their waste reduction goals before they can shut the HERC, which burns about 45% of all trash produced in the state’s largest county. The county has adopted a zero waste plan, seeking to divert 90% of all waste from landfills and incinerators through increased recycling and composting, and decreased consumption of single-use goods. Currently, about 42% of waste in the county is diverted from landfills and incinerators. 

“Simply shifting waste to landfills is irresponsible and would be a step backward,” a Hennepin County spokesperson said in a statement. “The county believes that the real solution is to produce less waste in the first place by providing policies, programs, and infrastructure that support a zero-waste future.”

In early 2024, county staff laid out detailed steps they believe must be taken before the HERC can close. Those include large increases in the amounts of traditional and organic waste that are recycled, state laws that take on packaging waste, and cultural shifts toward less consumption of single-use goods. 

Hennepin County officials say cities also need to increase their efforts to reduce waste. County Board Chair Irene Fernando asked the Minneapolis City Council in September 2024 to chip in with a plan to manage waste without the incinerator. The city council responded the next month by unanimously passing a resolution committing to increase waste diversion efforts and work with the county, while requesting the HERC close by the start of 2028. 

But since the city approved its resolution, no new plans have been announced by the county. 

“Promises without plans in action aren’t enough,” said Anndrea Young, a north Minneapolis resident and mother of two.  

Hennepin County Commissioner Debbie Goettel thanked speakers for coming to its meeting on July 22. The board does not directly respond to comments at open time. 

“You have been heard,” Goettel said. 

A reachable goal

The HERC is a significant source of air pollutants, according to data from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). In 2023, it was the 32nd-highest facility source of carbon dioxide equivalent in the state, and emitted 409 tons of nitrogen oxides, which are known to cause respiratory issues. 

County leaders fear shutting the HERC will divert more waste to landfills. The MPCA’s waste hierarchy, which ranks means of processing waste from best to worst, favors incinerators over landfills.  Landfills are known sources of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Natasha Villanueva, a resident of North Minneapolis’ Jordan neighborhood, took time off work to address county commissioners on July 22. Villanueva said she’d thought more progress was being made toward closing the HERC, and said she’s been disappointed by the lack of a shutdown date. She recently moved from south Minneapolis to the Northside, and said she can see the impact of pollution in her new neighborhood. 

“When I moved to the Northside, it became very clear,” Villanueva said. 

For many activists, closing the HERC is an achievable goal that could reduce air pollution in their community. The HERC is owned by the county, and only a board majority vote is needed to close it. 

Audua Pugh, a North Minneapolis resident who leads a recycling advocacy group called Rusty in the Crew, told commissioners she is currently battling breast cancer, and that her doctors told her it was likely caused by environmental factors. Other large emission sources in her neighborhood like Interstate 94 and private factories are outside her influence, she said. 

“HERC is the only option that we have, that we can get rid of, to help people like myself,” Pugh said. 

Editor’s note: This story originally was published July 25 in the Sahan Journal. It was written by Sahan Journal reporter Andrew Hazzard, who focuses on climate change and environmental justice.