New Lake Co. solid waste chair: No more unproven trash proposals

The Lake County solid waste board should steer clear of commercially unproven processes when considering future plans for consolidating the county's trash disposal, the board's chairman said.

Powers warns of possible lawsuit following cancellation of trash-to-ethanol deal

Potential lawsuits are brewing in Lake County's trash-to-ethanol saga, according to a motion by solid waste officials and statements from the developer who had contracted to build and operate the plant.

Lake County officials cancel trash-to-ethanol contract

After four years of failed attempts to get a Lake County trash-to-ethanol plant off the drawing room floor, waste district officials unanimously canceled the contract Thursday with a would-be developer.

Waste board may cancel ethanol contract next month

The longtime champion of a Lake County trash-to-ethanol plant expects a final decision to made next month regarding whether to cancel the four-year-old contract.

Some see federal ruling as opportunity to revisit canceling trash-to-ethanol contract

A recent federal ruling paints a picture of the national alternative-fuels scene that closely mirrors what Lake County has experienced for four years in its trash-to-ethanol plan: lots of promises and no results.

EDITORIAL: Wake up from trash-to-ethanol dream

Once more, the Lake County Solid Waste Management District Board of Directors have learned that investors are holding back on funding the waste-to-ethanol project until more is known about the process. Surprised? We didn't think so.

Lake County waste board continues trash-to-ethanol watch in 2013

Lake County solid waste officials began their first meeting of 2013 in much the same position as the last of 2012 — still waiting to see if a long-proposed trash-to-ethanol project will come to fruition.

Could sunflowers turn Chicago vacant lots into a source for biofuels?

CHICAGO | More than 40,000 vacant lots dot Chicago's landscape, forgotten places often littered with broken glass and patched with overgrown weeds.

Scheub to GOP: Meeting cancellation not a dodge of trash-to-ethanol issue

Politics had nothing — and everything — to do with last week's cancellation of a county solid waste board meeting, Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub said Monday.

Can trash-to-ethanol facility make it?

With yet another collapsed land deal, a fresh set of delays on financing decisions and a contract in limbo, some Lake County solid waste officials wonder if they are hearing the end of trash-to-ethanol.

EDITORIAL: Ethanol proposal continues to sputter

The Lake County Solid Waste Management District Board continues to drag its feet on the dormant trash-to-ethanol proposal, voting last week to give more time to the consortium of region contractors that has talked of buying out developer Earl Powers' stake in this project.

Consortium given more time to buy out Powers, but deal remains uncertain

A consortium of region contractors on Thursday argued it and its potential investors need more time to evaluate whether the trash-to-ethanol process works before taking over the long-stalled project.

Trash-to-ethanol saga marked by constant change, missed deadlines

With new owners possibly on the horizon for the proposed Schneider trash-to-ethanol plant, some Lake County waste officials say it is the perpetuation of a four-year-old game of musical chairs.

Powers given another month in quest for trash-to-ethanol plant financing

Powers Energy of America remained in breach of contract with Lake County's solid waste board but was given another month to try to prove it can finance its long proposed trash-to-ethanol plant.

Kill the trash-to-ethanol contract or grant another in a long line of extensions?

Lake County solid waste officials have an opportunity Thursday night either to stand firm on a deadline for a would-be trash-to-ethanol developer to secure financing or grant yet another in a long line of extensions.

Lake Station approves trash-to-ethanol agreement

LAKE STATION | After a lengthy discussion, City Council members agreed Thursday to sign an interlocal cooperation agreement with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District.

Waste official: Clock ticking on trash-to-ethanol deal

If a would-be trash-to-ethanol developer doesn't have the money in hand to complete its project by July 19, it doesn't have a deal with the county, a top solid waste district official says.

Powers passes 1st benchmark

Lake County's trash-to-ethanol saga will continue — at least another 30 days — after solid waste district officials decided developer Earl Powers satisfied two benchmarks toward filling a perceived breach in his contract.

1,247 days into trash-to-ethanol contract, little to show for it

Lake County Solid Waste Management District Board meets at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lake County Government Complex in Crown Point to discuss the future of the 1,247-day-old trash-to-ethanol contract, The Times provides a look at the time and some of the events that have come to pass.A timeline…

Scheub touts trash-to-ethanol on eve of discussions

On the eve of discussions that could decide the fate of Lake County's trash-to-ethanol contract, the plan's biggest political supporter touted the millions in revenue and hundreds of jobs he said the plan would create.