Monroe County Executive Adam Bello recently launched a public participation survey for residents and businesses to provide feedback as Monroe County develops its first Organics Management Plan (OMP). The goal is to create guidelines to prevent and divert organic waste from landfills to protect the climate and reduce waste.
“As the climate crisis intensifies, Monroe County is taking decisive action by advancing a key recommendation from our Climate Action Plan: creating a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from organic waste in our landfills,” said County Executive Bello. “These surveys are essential to crafting an Organics Management Plan that reflects the priorities of our residents and businesses while advancing our commitment to environmental sustainability and the future of Monroe County.”
The United States Environmental Protection Agency classifies organic waste as the “remains, residues or waste products of any organism that are recovered resources from solid waste disposal; including, but not limited to food residuals, yard debris and wood and plant products.” The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) says 12% of statewide greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) come from the waste sector including landfills, waste combustion and wastewater treatment.
The OMP will look at the county’s waste generation, and existing programs, policies, resources, laws and regulations to identify feasible strategies for the prevention or diversion of organic waste County-wide.
Phase II of Monroe County’s Climate Action Plan recommends the implementation of a county-wide Organic Management Plan. This plan will provide local governments, residents and organizations with the necessary guidance and support to reduce organic waste.
Monroe County was awarded a $100,000 grant in 2022 through New York State’s Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program and funded through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Protection Fund to develop the OMP.
Creating an OMP will give Monroe County access to state funding opportunities for future projects in organics management and serve as a resource to community partners. DEC also awarded Monroe County $100,000 for the Climate Action Plan, $150,000 for a Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and $200,000 for a Climate Adaptation Plan through the CSC Program.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “DEC is pleased to support Monroe County through the State’s Climate Smart Communities Grant Program, with $100,000 to develop the County’s plan, bolstering $350,000 previously awarded as part of the County’s overall efforts to develop a climate action plan. This is a great example of the State and local partnerships necessary to advance climate action, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve and protect the environment for residents while helping New York State advance our ambitious climate targets.”
The New York State DEC says proper organics management can protect the climate, reduce waste, create jobs and engage communities.
Three surveys are available at http://monroecounty.gov: One for residents, one for farmers and another for business owners. The survey can be found at http://monroecounty.gov/organics-management-plan. Participants can also submit comments via email at OMPComments@monroecounty.gov.
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