Referred to: The Energy and Environment Committee (Chairwoman Greene and Legislators Bruno, Criswell, Petit, and Wawro)

Legislator Laura Petit offers the following:

WHEREAS, Ulster County presently generates more than 250,000 tons of municipal solid waste annually of which over 130,000 of municipal solid waste and construction and demolition debris is managed directed by the Resource Recovery Agency; and

WHEREAS, the municipal solid waste from Ulster County is trucked to the Seneca Meadows landfill in Waterloo, NY, a distance of approximately 236 miles, for disposal; and

WHEREAS, the transport of Ulster County’s municipal solid waste and its disposal there carries substantial adverse environmental impacts, including carbon loading contributing to climate change; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature and the public have clearly stated their desire to reduce the impacts of the County’s disposal of municipal solid waste by diverting, reusing and recycling, and thereby reducing the amount of waste generated, and improving the County’s disposal of it; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County must consider new methods of diverting, reducing and recycling solid waste prior to disposal, as well as new methods of disposal of municipal solid waste, due to uncertainty of the continued availability of disposal at Seneca Meadows and other landfills; and

WHEREAS, a plan to divert and reduce solid waste is a fundamental component of solid waste management; and

WHEREAS, as stated by the US Conference of Mayors the concept of zero waste goes beyond recycling and composting at the end of a product's life cycle, to encompass the entire life cycle of a product, beginning with product design, and envisioning the use and management of materials in ways that preserve value, minimize environmental impacts, and conserve natural resources; and

WHEREAS, materials management through zero waste can reduce the fiscal burden of waste management and improve the quality of the environment; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County proposes to adopt and implement a Zero Waste Implementation Plan to guide the reduction and diversion of solid waste generated in the county; and

WHEREAS, municipal actions subject to review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature will prepare an Environmental Assessment Form and circulate a notice of intent to be lead agency pursuant to 6 NYCRR § 617.6 to the other involved and interested agencies in the development and approval of the Ulster County Zero Waste Implementation Plan,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:   

Passed Committee: Energy and Environment on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE