Fairfax County weighs up options for Lorton landfill construction

The future of the I-95 Landfill Site in Lorton remains uncertain as the calendar turns to 2025.

Fairfax County officials are considering new development projects on the site of 489 acres, just a week after plans by a developer to build an Indoor Ski Complex were halted due to financial issues.

construction is currently being considered for a municipal waste sorting facility and/or an advanced recycling facility. In 2022, the county received two uninvited proposals for a facility capable of processing 650,000 tons per year of solid waste: one was from an Ohio-based recycling facility Envision Waste Services while the other came from Anaergia Services a Delaware-based subsidiary of a Canadian organics-processing company.

According to Envision Waste Services’ proposal, the proposed facility could divert approximately 60% of waste away from landfills.

The mixed waste processing facility would occupy 16 acres in a portion of the landfill that is closed, separate from the project site.

Envision Waste Services stated that “Carbon emission will be virtually eliminated, as our system will remove organic fractions which would otherwise decompose at the landfill creating methane and CO2, both of which are harmful climate gases.”

Anaergia’s project will generate “renewable natural gas” that can be added to the gas grid of the county, providing “carbon-negative” fuel and electricity for the transportation network.

Fairfax County Department of Procurement and Material Management notified the developer of a proposed ski complex, Alpine-X, last month in a formal notification that it had concluded its review of this project and was preparing an interim agreement which would expire on December 31, 2025.

We share your disappointment because of various economic challenges, such as estimated construction costs and interest rates. The project has not been reviewed further during the Interim Agreement Window,” Lee Ann Pender wrote to her client on December 18.

The 450,000-square foot ski complex, called Peak Fairfax, would have erected the nation’s largest indoor ski slope at 1,700 feet, as well as tubing slopes, snow fields, hotels and other facilities.

Even without land acquisition costs, the project’s initial price tag was $400 million. Alpine-X insists that financial constraints did not force it to abandon its vision.

Alpine-X CEO John Emery said in a recent interview that they were taking extra time due to the dramatic rises in construction costs and interest rates. We build with a long term view and make every effort to guarantee the financial success of any project before breaking ground.

According to officials from the county, both the ski resort and recycling facility could be built at the I-95 Landfill, which covers 489 acres. Some of these are still in use as landfills. Both projects are not guaranteed at this time.

Department of Public Works and Environmental Services of the county is still reviewing proposals for waste processing facilities. The county is also accepting other unsolicited bids on reuse projects at the landfill.