THE GREEN SHEET

Vol. 9 - No. 1
January 2004

Lead Story: $192 Million Question
On the Alert
For Your Information
Activists' Corner
The Month Ahead
Contact Information

$192 Million Question

With New York State facing another multi-billion dollar revenue shortfall in 2004, environmentalists are wondering why Gov. George Pataki and legislative leaders are so reluctant to tap into the money available in unclaimed deposits from returnable cans and bottles. What’s more, it seems like such a win-win situation for everyone – except possibly Coke and Pepsi – to expand the 20-year-old bottle bill to include non-carbonated drinks. That would not only lead to an increase in available revenue from unredeemed deposits, but would further reduce the amount of trash in the state’s waste stream, saving additional resources.

According to an analysis of 2002 beverage marketing data by the Container Recycling Institute (CRI), a nonprofit recycling think-tank based in Arlington, Virginia, the beverage industry kept more than $140 million in unredeemed deposits from New York’s bottle bill last year. Expanding the law to include non-carbonated beverages, such as bottled water, juice, sports drinks and iced tea, could capture and recycle up to 3.4 billion additional bottles and cans each year, according to CRI’s analysis. Under an expanded bottle bill, CRI estimates that unclaimed deposits would add up to $192 million a year. “This is the public’s money, and we could put it to good work for recycling and environmental protection in New York,” says bottle bill campaign leader Laura Haight of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG).

Presentation of the Governor’s proposed executive budget for fiscal year 2004-2005 is expected in late January. No increases in the personal income tax are anticipated this year, leaving state leaders few opportunities for reconciling spending needs with anticipated revenue. Some 30 environmental groups, including Environmental Advocates of New York and NYPIRG, wrote Pataki in mid-December urging him to include unredeemed bottle bill deposits in his spending plan.

In addition to expanding the types of containers covered under the bill, the groups stated their support for legislation that would require beverage distributors and bottlers to return all unredeemed deposits to the state Environmental Protection Fund for local recycling and environmental programs and to boost the deposit from a nickel to a dime. That would adjust for inflation and lead to an increase in return rates. Legislation expanding the state’s bottle bill has been introduced by Assemblymember Thomas DiNapoli and Senator Kenneth LaValle.

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On the Alert

♦Mountain Mayhem: Despite serious opposition, plans to build a 537-acre development on a 1,960-acre plot in Shandaken and Middletown are moving forward. The Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is complete and draft permits required for construction have been issued by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The development, proposed by Crossroads Ventures, LLC, is located in the NYC Watershed and Catskill Park and would include two 18-hole golf courses, two hotels, a luxury housing development, restaurants, retail stores and more. Public hearings will be held on January 14 and 15. Comments on the DEIS will be accepted until February 24. Although the DEIS has been accepted as complete by DEC, the project is not a done deal and the public’s response at this point is very important. To submit comments, write: Alexander F. Ciesluk, Jr., Deputy Regional Permit Administrator, NYSDEC, 21 South Putt Corners Rd., New Paltz, NY 12561-1620 or email: afcieslu@gw.dec.state.ny.us. To learn about more opportunities for public comment on this project, visit the Regulatory Watch section of www.eany.org. For more information, contact Judith Wyman, Friends of Catskill Park, at 845-688-7312 or catskillmtflower@msn.com, or visit www.friendsofcatskillpark.org.

♦Indian Point Fish Kills: The public has until February 6 to comment on the DEC’s draft State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit for Indian Point. The two IP nuclear plants kill billions of fish annually by using river water for their cooling systems. SPDES permits control the use of river water. Send written comments to Administrative Law Judge Maria E. Villa, NYSDEC Office of Hearings and Mediation Services, 625 Broadway, First Floor, Albany, New York 12233-1550. Information and a link to the draft permit are available at www.dec.state.ny.us/website/site/highlights.html. DEC will hold a legislative public hearing on the draft permit on January 28-29 in White Plains. For more information, contact Dave Gordon, Riverkeeper, at dgordon@riverkeeper.org.

♦>HazMats: DEC has released a draft Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan to assist the state in its review of proposals for new or expanded hazardous waste management facilities. DEC will hold nine public hearings around the state on January 7 to hear comments on the plan and the supporting draft generic Environmental Impact Statement. Send comments by January 19 to Glenn Milstrey, P.E., NYSDEC, Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7251, fax to 518-402-9024, or email to HWSiting@gw.dec.state.ny.us. The draft materials can be found at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/hzwstman/hazsiteplan.htm. For more information, contact Glenn Milstrey at 518-402-8612 prior to the hearing date. (See The Month Ahead.)

♦Spray Suit: A federal court in NYC has reversed a lower court order and reinstated the No Spray Coalition’s lawsuit against the city’s massive spraying of toxic pesticides to kill mosquitoes. The case is now remanded back to the lower court where it will most likely be heard in time for this year’s round of applications. To learn more and help out, visit: www.nospray.org.

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For Your Information

♦In a Rut: The Residents Committee to Protect the Adirondacks (RCPA) has released a new report, Rutted and Ruined: ATV Damage on the Adirondack Forest Preserve. The report features 134 color pictures showing damage caused to roads, trails, and natural resources in the Adirondack Park from both legal and illegal use of All Terrain Vehicles. According to the report, ATV damage is much worse than that caused by other motor vehicles. The report also shows how ATV industry advertising encourages irresponsible use of the vehicles, and makes nine recommendations for improving ATV management in the Forest Preserve. The report is available to the public via a download at www.adirondackresidents.org.

♦Raise the Roof: A new web project of the Earth Pledge Green Roofs Initiative aims to green New York City’s rooftops. Greening Gotham presents a vision for improving the urban environment by tapping into an unused landscape. Green rooftops not only create a more aesthically pleasing space, but provide environmental benefits as well, including a natural cooling, air filtering and water retention system. In early 2004 Greening Gotham will launch a Green Roof Toolbox that includes a step-by-step guide to greening a rooftop, case studies of successful New York green roof projects, and a list of local building and design professionals who can help you create a green roof. For more information, visit: www.greeninggotham.org.

♦Getting Results: Following the collapse of the World Trade Center, the US Environmental Protection Agency launched a voluntary program to either clean and test or just test any home in Lower Manhattan for asbestos in the air. EPA also collected wipe samples in a subset of the homes that were cleaned and tested or tested only through the program to evaluate the effectiveness of the three techniques (wet wiping, wet mopping and HEPA vacuuming) that were used and recommended for cleaning indoor spaces. Visit: www.epa.gov/wtc/wipe_samples to view the results.

♦Docket Site: The EPA launched a new online tool in December that allows individuals to search public dockets that contain Federal Register notices, support documents, and public comments for regulations and various non-regulatory activities. EDOCKET, found at www.epa.gov/edocket, may also be used to submit comments.

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Activists' Corner

Antennas Alert: The installation of a T-Mobile microwave cellular antenna base station on the rooftop of a residential building on 33rd Street in Astoria turned many local residents into activists. Homeowners and tenants formed the Astoria Neighborhood Coalition (ANC) and began actively campaigning to have the antennas in this residential community – there are 16 in a mile and a half area – removed. ANC is also working to get legislation introduced on the local, state and national levels that will grant local municipalities more power to determine where these antennas go.

So far, ANC’s efforts are paying off. In November, NYC Councilman Peter Vallone and Assemblyman Michael Gianaris held a hearing to introduce bills to regulate the proliferation of cellular antennas and towers.

Contact ANC by mail: c/o 32-39 33rd St., Astoria, NY 11106; email: stopradiation@yahoo.com; or online: www.stopradiation.org.

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The Month Ahead

December

6: How “Soot” Carbon Affects the Release of Organic Contaminants from Lower Hudson River Sediments During Resuspension, seminar sponsored by the Hudson River Foundation. 17 Battery Place, Suite 915, Manhattan. 10:30AM. RSVP: 212-483-7667 or info@hudsonriver.org.

7: Public Hearing on Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Chester Golf Club Community. Chester Town Hall, 1786 Kings Highway, Chester. 7:30PM. Call Thomas Bell, Town of Chester Planning Board, 845-469-7000.

7: Public hearings on DEC’s draft Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan and generic EIS. Hearings will be held in Stony Brook, Long Island City, New Paltz, Schenectady, Ray Brook, Watertown, Syracuse, Avon and Niagara Falls. Visit: www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/index.html for times and locations. (See On the Alert.)

8: Mold and Green Design, part of the NYS Environmental Business Association’s High-Performance Green Building Design series. Includes an outline of what mold is, identifying building conditions that promote its growth and steps for prevention. The Pillars, 125 High Street, Buffalo. 5:30PM-7:30PM. AIA/CES Learning Units - 2 HSW-2 offered. Register by 12:00PM on 1/7. $15 for AIA, EBA/NYS and USGBC members, $25 for non-members, $30 at the door. Email info@eba-nys.org or call 518-432-6400 x221.

10: 26th Annual Winter Living Celebration, sponsored by the Rogers Environmental Education Center. Celebrate winter with sleigh rides, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sled dogs, an ice boat and ice fishing. Indoor activities include exhibits, storytelling and live music. Cross-country skis and snowshoes welcome. Bring your Christmas tree for recycling. 2721 State Highway 80, Sherburne. 11:00AM-4:00PM. Free. Call 607-674-4017.

14-15: Legislative public hearings on Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 14: Margaretville Central School, 415 Main Street, Margaretville. 4:00PM-5:30PM and 7:00PM. 15: Onteora Central School, 4166 State Highway 28, Boiceville. 4:00PM-5:30PM and 7:00PM. (See On the Alert.)

22: Report from Albany. Join Environmental Advocates of NY for a Western New York dialogue on 2004 state legislation. Allen Hall, University at Buffalo South Campus. 7:00PM-9:00PM. Contact Karen De Vito at 518-462-5526 ext. 235 or kdevito@eany.org.

24: Just Food Conference, Hunter College, NYC. Visit: www.justfood.org or email Ruth Katz at ruth@justfood.org.

28-29: Legislative public hearings on DEC’s draft SPDES permits for Indian Point. Esplanade Hotel, 95 South Broadway, White Plains. 2:00PM and 7:00PM. (SeOn the Alert.)

February

4-6: Solutions for Success, New York’s ENERGY STAR® for Homes Conference and Awards Banquet, sponsored by the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority and The Long Island Power Authority in conjunction with Affordable Comfort, Inc. Rye Town Hotel, 699 Westchester Ave., Rye Brook. Visit: www.affordablecomfort.org or call 1-800-344-4866.

5-6: Annual Meeting of the NY Chapter of The Wildlife Society (NY-TWS). The theme will be Managing Wildlife in Forest Ecosystems. Register by 1/26. Fees vary. Continuing Education Units availablkls20@cornell.edu.

19-21: Fourteenth North American Interdisciplinary Conference on Environment and Community, sponsored by Empire State College, SUNY. Featured speakers include Bill McKibben, environmental writer. Saratoga Springs. Call 518-255-5320 or 518-587-2100 x386, or visit: www.esc.edu/EnvironConf.

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THE GREEN SHEET
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Editor • Laura DiBetta

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