Bethesda firm touting benefits of an incinerator

He wanted to talk about the positive attributes of the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility in Dickerson, which is similar to what Frederick and Carroll counties are considering building. The firm’s president, Keith Haller, confirmed that Covanta Energy, which built and operates the Montgomery County incinerator, is a client, but would not say specifically if Covanta paid Potomac Incorporated to call media in Frederick County.

Covanta Energy has placed a bid to build a similar incinerator for Frederick and Carroll counties.

Potomac Incorporated has been working with Covanta since before the Dickerson incinerator was built in 1995, Haller said. ‘‘We do public education,” Haller said. ‘‘We have some expertise on this.”

Haller said Holleran called The Gazette after watching Marilyn J. Praisner (D), president of the Montgomery County Council, speak to the Frederick Board of County Commissioners at a public meeting on Aug. 27. Paisner was invited to speak to commissioners on Montgomery County’s recycling efforts and give an update on the Dickerson incinerator.

Frederick County officials are looking into building an incinerator that burns trash and turns it into fuel to generate electricity that could be sold to an electric company, and turned to Praisner to learn about Montgomery’s experience in building one. Michael Marschner, director of Frederick County’s Utilities and Solid Waste Management, said Tuesday the county did not hire Potomac Incorporated to educate residents on the benefits of incinerators.

‘‘They are not working for Frederick County,” Marschner said. ‘‘I don’t think we need a public relations person. I think we need education.”

Marschner confirmed that Conventa is one of two waste management companies that bid for the job of building a joint incinerator for both Frederick and Carroll counties, a Frederick plant only, or a Carroll plant only.

The other company is Wheelabrator Technologies of Houston, Texas.

Marschner said he could not disclose the bid amounts from each company because he is in the process of looking over the numbers. Both Haller and Holleran said they have been following the solid waste issues in Frederick County, and are aware Frederick is considering a joint incinerator with Carroll County.

Each man said the company has also worked with the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, owners of the Montgomery County plant. Authority officials said they are not paying Holleran to tout the benefits of its Montgomery incinerator.

‘‘We do not need a public relations firm,” said Robin B. Davidov, executive director of the authority. ‘‘I can do that myself.”

Haller said Potomac Incorporated was ‘‘deeply involved” with educating the community during the construction of the Dickerson incinerator.

‘‘We started working with Covanta and telling the story on the environmental impacts,” Haller said. The Gazette has hired Potomac Incorporated to conduct market research and political polls. According to Potomac Incorporated’s Web site, the firm was hired by Ogden Martin to develop a ‘‘comprehensive public education and community relations program” in support of the Montgomery incinerator prior to 1995. Ogden Martin is the parent company Covanta. Potomac Incorporated used articles, press conferences and television appearances to support the county’s decision to build the Dickerson incinerator.