Summary

This bill amends the environmental conservation law, in relation to authorizing certain community composting operations projects registered with the department of environmental conservation to operate on parklands without violating alienation restrictions.

Explanation

This legislation works to ensure that community composting programs continue to operate on state parklands. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), organic waste makes up nearly a quarter of New York’s municipal solid waste, with roughly 3.9 million tons of discarded food ending up in landfills. Ensuring that compostable materials do not reach landfills is key to tackling our solid waste crisis, protecting our communities, and generating good green jobs and environmental education opportunities. Community composting programs are also key in helping meet the State’s climate goals, as food waste decays and contributes massively to methane (a greenhouse gas even more harmful than carbon dioxide) production. Ensuring that community composting programs continue operating on parkland without fear of violating parkland alienation restrictions is important for the continued operation of these programs.

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