A new allegation is escalating the long-running fight over a trash burner in Minneapolis, where community activists say county officials monitored closed-door meetings and events while organizers pushed to shut down the downtown facility over pollution concerns.
Here's what to know
At the center of the latest dispute is a claim that Hennepin County officials surveilled and compiled information on activists involved in the yearslong campaign to close the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, also known as HERC.
The Zero Burn Coalition, a local environmental group committed to closing HERC, issued a report last week saying the information was gathered for private companies rather than for community engagement, according to 5 Eyewitness News.
Those seeking to shutter the facility say county officials tracked both events and private meetings to learn more about protest plans and organizing efforts.
The coalition's report further claims that the county looked for information that could help derail a state bill that would have phased out polluting facilities.
More background
Because of pollution concerns, Minneapolis city officials also want HERC to shut down by the end of 2027.
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County officials, meanwhile, have previously said the facility operates well below its permitted emissions limits.
The new allegations have added to tensions and further strained trust in the fight over community health and environmental policy.
What's being done?
The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy announced this summer that it would be taking the matter of the trash burner to court.
The center previously shared that it planned to sue Hennepin County over toxic ash from the facility, according to 5 Eyewitness News.
Separately, the local outlet reached out to the county for comment on the Zero Burn Coalition's claims of surveillance and was awaiting a response as of Oct. 22.
Where can I learn more?
These articles provide more context on how the fight over HERC fits into a debate over trash incinerators, toxic emissions, and community health:
• Across Minnesota, trash incinerators spew "forever chemicals" into nearby communities as scrutiny grows.
• In Florida, county officials grappled with the disproportionate impacts of a proposed trash incinerator.
• In Pennsylvania, residents confronted Philadelphia over the nation's largest trash incinerator and dirtier air.
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