James D. Warner, the CEO who steered the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) for 22 years and lifted its annual throughput past 1 million tons of waste, died Sept. 20 at age 68, the authority confirmed.

Warner led LCSWMA from 1996 to 2018 and worked in the solid waste industry for more than 35 years, including 30 at the authority itself. LCSWMA runs recycling, renewable energy, transfer and disposal infrastructure for Lancaster and Dauphin Counties, Pennsylvania.

What did Warner build at LCSWMA?

Under Warner's direction, the authority expanded into a regionally significant material handler. LCSWMA says it now moves more than 1 million tons of waste each year across its transfer stations, recycling facilities and the Susquehanna Resource Management Complex in Dauphin County.

"Jim Warner's visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship and innovation left an enduring mark on LCSWMA and the entire solid waste industry," LCSWMA Executive Director Daniel G. Youngs said.

Which energy and infrastructure projects defined his tenure?

Warner oversaw capital projects that shifted LCSWMA from a disposal-focused authority to one with on-site generation and alternative-fuel assets:

• 2005: A 3.2 MW landfill-gas-to-energy project that LCSWMA says converts enough captured methane to power approximately 2,400 homes.
• 2013: Acquisition of the Susquehanna Resource Management Complex (formerly Harrisburg Incinerator), adding waste-to-energy processing capacity in Dauphin County. The authority has since invested in transfer station and office upgrades at the site.
• Lancaster County's first dual-fuel compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station, installed at LCSWMA's transfer station complex.

"Jim had a remarkable ability to see opportunities where others saw challenges, transforming bold ideas into meaningful initiatives that continue to benefit our communities and advance sustainable waste management," Youngs said.

What recognition came with the legacy?

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) awarded Warner its annual Distinguished Individual Achievement Award in 2017, citing his leadership on innovative approaches to waste management and resource recovery. After retiring from LCSWMA, Warner served as interim CEO of the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority.

Board Member Karen Weibel described his operating philosophy at the authority: "Jim didn't want a board of directors that would rubber-stamp new ideas or projects. He thrived on discussion and expected board members to consider and uphold not only the best standards of our industry for the betterment of Lancaster County."

What comes next in memorial and governance?

LCSWMA has not tied any leadership change to Warner's death; Youngs already held the executive director role. The authority's next announced marker is environmental rather than operational: a tiny forest to be planted along the Farmingdale Trail by the Steinman Foundation in partnership with LCSWMA and the Blue Green Connector, creating a living memorial to a CEO colleagues describe as a calculated risk-taker.

"Jim's leadership came from his ability to be both a visionary and a collaborator," Board Secretary J. Scott Ulrich said. "He was never afraid to take a calculated risk if it meant strengthening LCSWMA and benefiting the community."

Warner is survived by his wife, Kerry Sacco. Memorial details were not listed in the authority's announcement; the trail planting timeline will be the first publicly tracked tribute activity.