To mild observers of
New York State government a vote by Senator Aubertine to oppose an environmental bill S5988 to construct a new recycling and environmental education center for schoolchildren at the Gansevoort pier on
Manhattan's
West Side may seem like,
ah so what. The center, supported by Mayor Bloomberg, DEC, Democrat New York City Council and other elected officials such as Charlie Rangel, is part of long-term vision by Bloomberg for New York City to manage their own garbage produced by residents and to spread the burden of waste management throughout the city and not just in poor neighborhoods.
The new facility would act as a transfer site for recycling materials that would then be shipped by barge to a sorting facility in Brooklyn versus trucking the material through the city. This was a way for New York City to improve handling recyclables and reduce their trash.
Unlike our community and other upstate communities, NYC has no landfills for the 12,000 tons of garbage they produce daily from its businesses and residents, and currently pays to truck the waste to upstate or out-of-state facilities that are fast filling up. The city will face increasing pressure to find new dumpsites as these facilities close or limit the trash that they will accept. Northern New York, not too long ago, was appalled to think the Rodman landfill would be handling trash from New York City.
Darrel Aubertine’s vote against this plan would increase pressure on New York City to find distant locations to dispose of its mountains of garbage. Could Rodman be included? It would not be outside the realm of possibility, especially if the city faces a crisis prompted by closing of one of its destination landfills. According to DEC, Rodman has 5 million tons of available capacity (2006), and charges less than the city pays to dump at out of state sites
Jefferson County residents were literally in an uproar when the Development Authority of the North Country proposed importing trash to Rodman. The residents of Jefferson County choose to manage their own trash; they do not want New York City’s trash in the Rodman landfill. A vote like this from Senator Aubertine will limit New York City’s ability to manage their own trash and put more pressure on places like the North Country to do it for the city!
Darrel Aubertine needs to depart from his downstate liberal friends in the Senate and recognize what he is voting on and that a bill for New York City may affect Northern New York, does he understand Jefferson County does not want NYC’s trash?
He tows their line of garbage hauling in Manhattan, as one of 15 mostly downstate liberals, what will he do when they demand fidelity on issues that may be viewed as more significant?
To mild observers of 
13 comments:
Bill S5988 addresses an inter-New York City problem of transportation of garbage. The plan is to build a transfer station on the Upper West Side to cut down on City traffic to Brooklyn where the garbage is processed. The West Side of New York has a "sewage treatment park" . The treatment plant is disguised by public recreation facilities. In New York style, the Waste transfer dock would also house a museum and other facilities.
This bill has nothing to do with sending NYC trash to Rodman. But, if Political IV is so excited about this bill, perhaps he should start a movement to build our own recycling museum so our children, too, can get the big picture.
Political IV usually objects to sending money to NYC. I am not sure why he is upset about a negative upstate vote on this one.
Some reactions from NYC locals:
May 25, 2008 -- The Senate has given Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver another chance to put the city's interests before his own, voting to let Mayor Bloomberg use a West Village pier for recycling. Want to bet which Silver puts first?
The plan would cut down greatly on the number of fume-spewing, road-clogging garbage trucks rumbling through their neighborhoods, by using more barges to ship out trash.
Alas, three white lawmakers from the affluent West Side - Deborah Glick, Richard Gottfried and Linda Rosenthal - went ballistic over the mere thought of siting something as unseemly as a recycling facility in their neighborhoods.
Yes, this is an upstate vote against sending more money to New York City. I guess Political IV has flip-flopped on that issue.
political IV is becoming an odd man
and wants money for a big apple plan
code red is near
he's instilling fear
they're gonna send garbage to rodman
Hi IV--
That post is a streeeeetch.
Local garbage -- local problem!
Why is Sen Aubertine opposing a plan that has the supoprt of the local mayor and city council that allows NYC to solve its own trash woes?
I think IV is right on -- when you start meddling with another municipalities trash plans, you invite unintended -- and undesirable -- consequences.
Let's hear from Darrel why he opposed the bill.
Once again, the Darrel Defense Team president rwiley mishes and mashes so many unrelated issues and concepts as to be worthy of a Twister competition award.
What does S5988 have to do with sending Upstate money to NYC? Nothing. Read the bill. It's a simple home-rule bill that allows the city of New York to do what the council and the mayor have already decided is in the best interest of the city's fisc and children's health.
Why doesn't Darrel respect what the Mayor and the locally elected city council have to say?
tf
If you have read anything at all about the issue, you will realize the Mayor's attempt is to have the city reduce waste by increasing recycling. If they do not, then increased waste is the consequence and we are the recipients.
This is not a stretch at all.
The correct phrase is toe the line, not tow the line.
Trust me, the funding for the transfer station on the Hudson and the additional barges that will be built to serve it will enter bills at a later date. In fact some of the money has already been designated through other bills. Personally, I am very pleased to see a few conservative upstaters take an interest in the welfare of the people of New York City and be willing to take on any politician who gives blanket opposition to downstate funding.
I have followed the building of the new docks very closely since I have family who live within blocks of the project. I have been familiar with the neighborhood since the fifties. Mayor Bloomberg has many plans to continue to increase the recycling programs. However, this part of his plan addresses transportation to recycling plants and is an attempt to remove trucks from the streets. But, in doing so, it will divert heavy traffic from other Manhattan routes to that neighborhood. There are more liberals in that neighborhood than most North Country Rednecks will see in a lifetime. Of course liberals do not oppose recycling, but being human, they oppose the location and the traffic. Whether Democrat or Republican, it is the old story of, "It's OK, as long as it is not in my neighborhood." Political IV used that same fear when he dropped the "Rodman Bomb" which in this case is his fairy tale.
I am pleased that Political IV and the conservatives postering here are concerned with the welfare of New York City and are willing to support bills and funding for downstate projects. But I was taken back when Political IV was upset that Darryl joined opposition to a Manhattan Project. It came as a quite a shock because I am used to the opposite.
However, I am not sure that your local candidates will do well if, "The Big Apple is The Big Picture" becomes your slogan.
Before worrying about outside trash, talk to DANC and understand their need for flow control laws to ensure a good tonage of waste. Also, llok at your own recycling numbers and have the Senator support equal funding for recycling in Northern New York.
"Tow" the line can be correct, if you're talking about garbage barges. :-)
Whether liberal or conservative, republican or democrat, not everyone can vote right all of the time.
Is anyone here really worried about the good of the people and our region or just spewing the usual politics of "my team is better than your team", which is of course the real garbage here.
Instead of picking apart votes on legislation and issues to make them fit a certain political or ideological interest to levy an attack on the opposing team, why not decide on the issues from a human standpoint?
Most people find themselves liberal on some issues and conservative on others. When we draw our conclusions based on parties it's our liberty that gets hurt.
My favorite post here: "Trust me, the money will be there!" Is this guy an elected official? It sounds like you got your stump speech down!
When the Albany pols come making promises, better hang onto your wallets!
Take off your blinders! The Republicans have control in the Senate. They drafted the Bill. Republicans on the State level will not let any opposition draft a bill, especially a popular one.
With the narrow margin in the Senate I am sure Mr. Aubertine will throw his support to the Republicans. Count your blessings! Jim Wright, who abandoned you gave you a Democrat who is willing to work across the aisle.
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