Fourteen Minneapolis legislators have asked Hennepin County commissioners to authorize an environmental impact statement for the proposed expansion of the garbage burning plant in downtown Minneapolis.

The legislators say that the current draft Environmental Assessment Worksheet doesn't provide a thorough study of the impacts of the expansion.

In a letter (PDF) to the county board, the legislators also say that the plant operator, Covanta Hennepin Resource Co., and the board tried in 2009 to "circumvent environmental review altogether by applying to the Pollution Control Agency for a rarely used administrative permit." The PCA rejected that request.

And in January, the letter says, the PCA cited 27 areas in which Covanta's documents didn't contain all of the information that is needed to process the environmental worksheet and air emission permit modification application.

Says the letter:

"We are not convinced that Hennepin County has sufficiently explored recycling and composting alternatives to burning significantly more garbage downtown ... A voluntary EIS can pave the way for a more vigorous public discussion of alternatives."

Signing the letter were DFL legislators:

• Rep. Frank Hornstein
• Rep. Jean Wagenius
• Rep. Marion Greene
• Rep. Karen Clark
• Rep. Phyllis Kahn
• Rep. Jim Davnie
• Rep. Dianne Loeffler
• Rep. Joe Mullery
• Rep. Jeff Hayden
• Rep. Bobby Joe Champion
• Sen. Scott Dibble
• Sen. Linda Berglin
• Sen. Ken Kelash
• Sen. Patricia Torres Ray.