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This story was corrected on July 6, 2009. An explanation of the correction is at the end of the story.

Carroll County will pay no more than $1.5 million if a future board decides against building an incinerator with Frederick County.

Carroll commissioners voted today to support the design and permitting of an incinerator with Frederick, but included a four-page resolution limiting payments should either county back out and a replacement cannot be found.

The $1.5 million would pay for Carroll's half of the cost that Wheelabrator, the New Hampshire-based company that bid on the project, would incur to design and permit the incinerator.

If Frederick backs out, Carroll will not be responsible for any costs, the resolution states.

The resolution directs Carroll's Department of Public Works to work with Frederick staff, the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority and Wheelabrator to design and permit the incinerator.

The authority is an independent state agency that helps member counties find ways to dispose of their trash.

"We have analyzed this with just about every angle you can," Carroll Commissioner Michael D. Zimmer (R) said.

Commissioner Dean L. Minnich (R) and Zimmer voted for the resolution. Commission President Julia W. Gouge (R) did not attend the meeting.

The proposal calls for the two counties to build an incinerator, or what some people call a "waste-to-energy facility" because it burns trash to generate electricity, at the McKinney Industrial Center, off Md. Route 85 south of the City of Frederick.

Under the proposal, Wheelbrator could spend up to $3 million for design and permitting stages of the incinerator, which could take several years.

The proposal would limit both counties' costs to $1.5 million should either county back out.

After the design and permitting process is complete, both counties will decide whether to move forward with construction, said Mike Evans, Carroll County's director of public works.

If the two counties move forward with the incinerator, the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority will begin to seek funding to help finance the project, Evans said.

Frederick would pay for 60 percent with Carroll County paying the remainder. Costs have varied depending on the source. Evans estimates the project at $501 million, with Frederick County paying $301 million and Carroll paying $200 million.

Frederick County is drafting a similar resolution.

Meanwhile, Minnich took the opportunity to address what he considers threatening e-mails recently sent to Frederick County commissioners from people who oppose the incinerator.

"There has been a lot of irresponsible rhetoric," Minnich said. "This is the same strategy in almost every issue, where there is opposition. It doesn't add anything to the dialogue."

E-mail Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@gazette.net.

Correction: This story was erroneously edited to say Carroll County would be responsible for paying $1.5 million if Frederick backs out. In that case, Carroll County would not be responsible for paying anything.