Bill > S2389

This bill establishes a "solid waste reduction assistance fund" managed by the commissioner of environmental protection, which will be funded by penalties from solid waste haulers for violating waste disposal rules, legislative appropriations, and other sources, with money from this fund being used without further legislative approval to support municipal and other recycling and composting programs, public education on these topics, and initiatives promoting zero waste principles, as well as grants for haulers and waste generators to acquire equipment needed to comply with waste ban requirements, and any unspent money will carry over to the next fiscal year, with the commissioner required to report annually on the fund's finances and expenditures. Additionally, the bill mandates the commissioner to set performance standards for reducing municipal solid waste by July 1, 2017, and the department of environmental protection will establish specific per capita solid waste reduction targets for each municipality, aiming for no more than 600 pounds per capita by July 1, 2018, and 450 pounds per capita by July 1, 2022, with exemptions for municipalities not directly managing trash and recycling collection but requiring them to consult with residents and private companies on setting their own standards. The secretary of energy and environmental affairs will develop an action plan by December 1, 2017, to help municipalities meet these standards, reviewing existing programs and recommending potential changes, while cities and towns must report their solid waste disposal data annually, and those failing to meet the reduction targets by July 1, 2018, will need to submit a plan to achieve them by July 1, 2022, with the department then issuing a report on per capita disposal statistics. Municipalities at high risk of not meeting the standards can submit hardship documentation to the department, which will then prioritize their applications for sustainable materials recovery program grants, and any private waste disposal contracts entered into after the bill's effective date in towns that don't provide their own solid waste removal must include a recycling option for customers.