A Senate committee yesterday refused to review six people Governor Carcieri nominated to a critical board that oversees the state’s garbage disposal and recycling programs. The reason: Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano says the governor failed to consider recommendations from affected groups and is considering incinerating garbage despite longstanding opposition by many Rhode Islanders.

Two of Montalbano’s complaints about Carcieri appeared to be partially wrong.

Montalbano said Carcieri failed to follow recommendations for nominations to the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation from the mayor of Johnston, the League of Cities and Towns, and environmental advocacy groups.

But in fact, Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena confirmed yesterday that he did recommend Douglas Jeffrey, a Johnston developer. And Carole Bell, of Cranston, an environmental consultant, was recommended by the Environment Council of Rhode Island.

On the other hand, Carcieri said the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns recommended John Ward, a certified public accountant who serves on the Woonsocket Town Council.

But Dan Beardsley, executive director of the League, says the League never recommended Ward. In fact, he said someone on the governor’s staff asked the League to forward several names and specifically asked that Ward’s name be on the list.

But Beardsley said he submitted a list that did not bear Ward’s name. He didn’t know Ward, he said, and what’s more, Woonsocket is not a League member. Beardsley said he was very upset when the governor’s staff in March announced that Ward was recommended by the League.

Montalbano said through a spokesman he didn’t want to go over the candidates individually, but he did hope to have further discussion with the governor about the board’s composition. The governor’s office did not return a call for comment.

The senate’s refusal to act seems to be a reversal of the stance taken by Montalbano in March when Carcieri nominated six newcomers to the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, an agency being audited for possible mismanagement and corruption.

Montalbano said in March “at first blush, they seem like quality nominees,” and that after doing due diligence, the Senate could confirm the appointments quickly.

On Monday, some five months later, Montalbano sent a letter to Carcieri saying his appointments would not be considered yesterday by the Senate Judiciary Committee while it met to consider other gubernatorial appointments.

Montalbano said that in recent hearings on the nominations, senators and members of the public questioned whether Carcieri gave consideration to recommendations from the mayor of Johnston and the League of Cities and Towns before making his nominations.

“In each instance, in fact, it was apparent that you had not,” Montalbano wrote.

Carcieri also nominated Bradford Gorham, a lawyer and former state senator; Michael Quinn, a retired state police major who is director of campus safety and security at Johnson & Wales University; and Sue Sheppard, retired town administrator of Lincoln.

Montalbano’s second complaint was about efforts by Michael O’Connor, executive director of the resource recovery corporation, to look into the feasibility of incinerating wastes at the landfill, which is rapidly filling.

Montalbano said that Rhode Island has rejected incineration “as a solution to our waste stream problems. Many current members of the General Assembly engaged in strong opposition to incineration proposals in the past; indeed, some members had their first foray into public activity promoted by opposition to such proposals.”

He acknowledged that technologies have changed and he said he would keep an open mind. But he said he wants Carcieri to “engage in an open discussion with the people of Rhode Island with respect to your administration’s position on the issue of incineration of waste.”

O’Connor said yesterday he expected to have a new board confirmed and he didn’t understand why the Senate was blocking that.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said O’Connor, who has initiated a number of reforms at the troubled agency. “I’ve given up trying to forecast what might happen.”

Eugenia Marks, policy director for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island who hoped to testify on Bell’s behalf yesterday, said she was saddened to see “political gamesmanship” hold up the work of such an important agency. And she criticized the governor for being unwilling to meet with environmental advocates or to fill an environmental policy position.

plord@projo.com