Trombones and trumpets guided residents to the Minneapolis City Council meeting through the freezing rain Thursday morning, where they cheered on a resolution urging Hennepin County to shut its controversial trash incinerator.
The council voted unanimously to approve a resolution urging the county to stop burning trash at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) by 2028. The resolution pledges to increase city-led waste-reduction efforts and to explore landfills that could receive city trash if the county shuts the incinerator.
“This resolution is saying we’re going to be partners with you,” said Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, whose ward contains the HERC.
Residents have fought against the HERC for decades. The facility burns trash that creates and generates energy, creating a significant amount of air pollution. Hennepin County owns the incinerator, and pledged last year to develop a plan to shut it down sometime between 2028 and 2040 after a major public pressure campaign.
“This is not just about the HERC; this is about your local government respecting your values,” Council President Elliott Payne told a crowd that rallied before the meeting.