EDITORIAL: No more solid waste of time

Finally, the ill-fated trash-to-ethanol plan has been abandoned.

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.

WILLIAM NANGLE: No more flim flam

Well, I figured if I waited long enough the worm would turn.

EDITORIAL: Put tighter controls on grants for recycling

The Lake County Solid Waste Management District's enormous budget includes grants to communities for recycling. But that's not necessarily how the recipients use that money.

EDITORIAL: Stop wasting time on waste solution

Earl Powers' trash-to-ethanol plan sounded good in the same way that Star Trek teleportation sounded good. Maybe someday it would work out, but who really wants to be the test pilot for this new technology?

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.

Region legislators seek tighter leash on Lake County solid waste district

INDIANAPOLIS | Two former Lake County solid waste officials are using their newly acquired legislative pulpit to pursue reforms of their former waste management district board.

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.

WILLIAM NANGLE: Some want government to be an employment agency

It appears the idea of government existing to create jobs is alive and well in Lake County

EDITORIAL: Trash-to-ethanol is a too-distant dream

The proposed trash-to-ethanol plant has produced little but speculation since the contract between developer Earl Powers and the Lake County Solid Waste Management District board was signed four years ago. Don't expect any jobs to be created in the near future, either.

Trash-to-ethanol debate pauses until after election

Some Lake County Republican officials are crying foul over the cancellation of last week's solid waste district meeting, dubbing it a possible political ploy to push a discussion past the general election.

WILLIAM NANGLE: Wake up from lengthy trash-to-ethanol dream

Watch for the blame game to begin.

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.

More of the same or new hope in trash-to-ethanol saga?

A few days after Earl Powers pledged to county solid waste officials that financing for the trash-to-ethanol plant was all but locked up, he offered to sell his interest in the project, a Powers' business associate confirmed.

Lake County waste officials to mull termination of Powers contract in executive session

What had been billed as the moment when financiers would potentially endorse Lake County's trash-to-ethanol plan became another in a long line of failures of a would-be developer to produce, some county officials said Thursday.

Lake waste officials await latest financing pitch

Some county solid waste officials remain unconvinced trash-to-ethanol developer Powers Energy of America will secure financing from a major U.S. oil company.

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.

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.

Waste district attorney: Powers holds permission, not blueprints, for trash-to-ethanol

Earl Powers holds a license to use a chemical company's trash-to-ethanol process but has not yet closed on a deal for the blueprints, a Lake County solid waste attorney said.