More than a dozen elected officials and more than 70 citizens turned out at the Ada County Courthouse Thursday to learn more about a waste-to-energy project at the Ada County landfill.

Mayors and councilmembers from Boise, Eagle, Garden City, Kuna and Meridian had their first public opportunity to ask questions of the Ada County Commissioners about its public/private partnership with Dynamis Energy to build the $75 million facility.

Many of the questions focused on air quality, the county’s process and what impact the project would have on rates charged to the cities’ trash customers.

About one-third of the trash dumped at the landfill will be diverted to the facility, which will gasify the waste and then convert it into energy, which Dynamis will sell to Idaho Power. Dynamis does not have to pay for the fuel, and after five years the company can collect tipping fees on the trash it receives.

The county commissioners only took questions from the elected officials, not the public, even though a couple people tried to ask questions. The public still has not had an opportunity to stand before the Ada County Commissioners to ask questions about or comment on the project, which the county approved two years ago. The project is Dynamis' first plant; construction is slated to in September.

Earlier this week, Ada County Prosecuting Attorney Greg Bower announced he has asked the Bannock County prosecuting attorney to investigate the county's contract with Dynamis.