The Mayor’s Proposed Budget for the New York City Dept of Sanitation would gut New York City’s landmark 2006 Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP), undermining its goals of equity and environmental responsibility. It would functionally eliminate every Manhattan facility included in the SWMP, as well as the Marine Transfer Station (MTS) to be located in Southwest Brooklyn.
If we allow the sanitation budget to be gutted then the neighborhoods surrounding Newtown Creek will continue to be inundated with more than their fair share of the City’s garbage. Currently, the neighborhoods surrounding Newtown Creek host a combined 19 waste transfer stations. Collectively, these WTS handle almost 40% of the 12 million plus tons of waste moving through WTS in NYC annually. This is the densest concentration if WTS stations in New York City.
The next order of business at the Council is for Speaker Quinn to put forth a response to the Mayor’s budget which she is scheduled to deliver on April 8th, 2011. This is an opportunity for us to get the word out to our Council Members about the consequences for the SWMP should these budget cuts be finalized.
1. Call your Council Members today and ask them to urge Speaker Quinn to include this issue in her response. They need to tell her to oppose these proposed budget cuts and demand full restoration of Capital Funds for the four Marine Transfer Stations that would otherwise be delayed to 2016 and into 2019, essentially gutting the SWMP altogether.
2. Call Speaker Quinn’s office and communicate these demands directly to her as well. Her legislative office number is (212) 788-7210.
3. Reach out to friends and neighbors and ask them to call their Council Members and the Speaker’s office urging them to contact Speaker Quinn as well. The cuts to the SWMP will impact the City as a whole and many communities will be affected.
4. Visit the NCA “Waste Transfer Stations” web page to learn more and share the link with your friends and neighbors.