Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González held what she called probably her last media briefing as council president on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, explaining the council’s morning vote to keep the Dickerson Resource Recovery Facility, or RRF, open and modernize it. The council voted 6-5 for a nonbinding resolution that supports the long-term use of the incinerator and the development of an in-county food-scrap composting facility. Fani-González, who voted for the resolution, said the decision came after the council paused the incinerator question until after the budget process and held work sessions in the fall.
The resolution directs the County Executive to develop plans for facility improvements through the Fiscal Year 2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program, but further funding approval would be required before any upgrades move forward. The council has already approved $28 million for a centralized composting facility. The county extended its contract with the facility’s operator in November 2024 through April 2031, with an option for early termination.
What Fani-González Said About the Vote
Fani-González said she was proud of how seriously each council member took the decision. She said members challenged staff and the current operator to get information before the morning’s vote. She said the decision fits the county’s goal of reducing waste. She said she looks forward to working with the incoming county executive and the incoming council, which includes five new members, on the decisions ahead.
The 20-Year Question
Regarding the timeline for modernizing the Dickerson facility, Fani-González hopes for a long-term commitment. The resolution says “long term” without a number. Asked how long that would be, Fani-González said, “I am hoping that the long term will be at least 20 years.” She said the operator told the council during a work session that 20 to 30 years would be ideal, because that would let it offer a plan to modernize the facility. She said the contract terms are up to the incoming county executive and the operator. She also said she expects a request for proposals, so another company could bid.
Cost and Funding
Asked about concerns over cost, Fani-González said the work would be paid from “an enterprise fund that will fund this,” and would not compete with capital projects such as schools and transportation. The recording did not specify dollar figures for either option. She said any path, whether closing the facility or keeping it open, would cost money. She said the outgoing county executive did not give the council detailed cost information on trucking trash to Virginia. She also noted that “either option is going to require investment.”
Asked why she did not back closing the facility, Fani-González pointed to “sending 80 trucks a day to another state,” a figure she gave without citing a source in the recording. She also cited methane from landfills and the risk of losing control if another state stopped accepting the trash. She said she was glad the majority of the council pushed back against outgoing County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposal to close the facility and haul trash out of state.
Composting Details Still Open
The specifics of implementing a food-scrap composting program are still to be determined. Fani-González said many residents already compost, and the idea is to give others a facility that can do it for them. Details regarding the location of the composting facility, funding, and how residents would participate are to be worked out by the new council. She said the aim is for technology at the facility to do the sorting, which she said would make the process easier and also pull metals out of the trash.
What’s Next
The decision on the incinerator’s future is not final, as incoming County Executive Will Jawando, who voted against the resolution, has stated that the real decision will rest with the incoming council. The current contract for the Dickerson facility runs through April 2031. No funding for facility upgrades has yet been approved.
