Solid Waste in NC,

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HOT LIST
A PUBLICATION OF THE CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NORTH CAROLINA
April 5, 2007

Dear Legislator:
This week's HotList examines solid waste in North Carolina.
In response to proposals to place up to 4 mega-landfills in North Carolina, landfills that could receive garbage from up and down the eastern seaboard, the state legislature passed a 12 month moratorium on the siting of new landfills in North Carolina last year. The idea behind the moratorium was to give the state time to craft new regulations to govern landfill operations in our state.
The state worked diligently and new recommendations recently came out of the Division on Solid Waste. The "Solid Waste Management Act of 2007" (SB1492/HB1233) will put these recommendations into effect, and we encourage you to support this legislation.
Passage will give the state the additional tools to manage solid waste as our state grows.
Mike NelsonDirector of Government Relations Conservation Council of NC 919-839-0020

Solid Waste Management Act of 2007
Legislation that was introduced this year, "Solid Waste Management Act of 2007," (SB 1492 / HB 1233) is a good bill that addresses many of the concerns with landfill operations. But what steps can the state take to minimize the necessity of landfilling waste?
Land fills are expensive to build; they are politically unpopular; and they often raise concerns about environmental justice. There is a lot we can do to minimize the need for new landfills, and in the process create jobs and business opportunities right here in North Carolina.
NC is home to a growing number of recycling companies--companies that employ our workers and make money from taking refuse and recycling it into useable products. By diverting waste from landfills and redirecting it to business interests, we can create a win-win-win situation that benefits government, business, and the environment.

Here are a few key points about recycling.

Recycling saves energy. It's usually takes less energy to manufacture goods from recycled material than from virgin products, therefore recycling saves money for the business community. DENR reports that if we were to increase the recycling rate in the US from the current 30.6% recovery scenario to 35% by 2008, energy savings would be the equivalent of 13.7 billion gallons of gas.
Recycling saves landfill space. Each pound of waste that it is recycled rather than going into a landfill extends the lifespan of existing landfill operations. Siting new landfills is expensive and burdensome for local governments, and often negatively impacts surrounding communities. Extending the lifecycle of existing landfills will save local governments money and time.
North Carolina's 'recycling economy' is one of the fastest growing job engines in the state. Companies across North Carolina are recycling things like plastic bottles, wood waste, and cardboard, and creating new products which they sell for a profit. The complaint heard most often from recycling businesses is that they can't get enough supply. For example, recyclers often struggle to compete against relatively low tipping fees to get materials.
With a greater supply of recyclables, these businesses could expand, thus hiring more employees and expanding our state's tax base. The state can help by adopting policies that drive materials out of the waste stream and into the hands of recyclers.
The NC Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance recently conducted a survey to track recycling's impact on jobs and North Carolina's economy.

Some of the findings include:

Recycling companies now occupy old textile factories and other industrial plants abandoned by some of the state's more traditional industries.
Recycling companies in North Carolina range from Fortune 500 manufacturers to single proprietary, family owned businesses, handling hundreds of different types of materials and products.
Recycling employs approximately 14,000 people across the state.
Recycling employs more people than the bio-tech and agricultural livestock industries in North Carolina.
In 1994, recycling employed 8,700 people, rising 60% in 10 years to its current level.
Recycling jobs as a percentage of the state's total employment has increased 40% in 10 years, from 0.25% of the total labor force in 1994 to 0.35% in 2004.
Fifty-four percent of the businesses surveyed forecast creating more recycling-related positions in the next two years.
The number of companies listed in the state's recycling markets directory increased from 306 in 1994 to 532 in 2004, a 74% increase.


Legislative Summaries

H36 Hazardous Materials Task Force Recommendations This legislation improves the oversight of hazardous waste facilities, as recommended by the Governor's Hazardous Materials Task Force. It requires commercial hazardous waste facilities to provide financial assurance for clean-up measures, and off-site screening for potential leakage of hazardous substances into the environment. It requires applicants for permits for hazardous waste facilities to consult with local government and emergency response agencies. Support.

H49 Remove Vegetation From Billboards This legislation would change the Department of Transportation outdoor advertising selective vegetation removal policy to authorize a five-hundred foot removal zone, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee. Oppose.

H77 Promote Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency This legislation promotes the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in North Carolina, implementing a 20% renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standard. Support.

H332 Preservation of Farmland This legislation would appropriate funds, $10 million, for the aquisition of agricultural conservation easements, or for farmland preservation. Support.

H449 Funds for Sylvan Heights Water Fowl Park This legislation would provide funds ($150,000) for the construction of Phase II of the Sylvan Heights Water Fowl and Eco-center in Scotland Neck. Support.

H463 Conservation Tax Credit Modifications This legislation would give tax credit to any corporation that invests in real property located in North Carolina, such as public beach access use, public access to public waters or trails, or fish and wildlife conservation. Support.

H557 NC GREEEN Act This legislation would work towards a renewable and energy efficient economy in North Carolina by establishing a green business fund, to be administered by the state energy office, that would provide seed grants to encourage the development of NC's green economy. Support.

H838 Ban Incandescent Light Bulbs This legislation would prohibit the sale of general service incandescent light bulbs in the state. Support.

H839 State Energy Office Funds This legislation would give a total of $15,000,000 over two years from the General Fund to the Department of Administration to the State Energy Office to be used for energy related programs and purposes. Support.

H1115 Swine Farm Env. Performance Standards/Funds This legislation would make permanent the swine farm animal waste management system performance standards that the General Assembly enacted in 1998, and assist farmers with the early adoption of innovative swine waste management systems. The bill would also rename the Emergency Drinking Water Fund as the Bernard Allen Clean Well Water Fund and establish a reporting requirement under this fund. Support.

H1134 Cleanup of Abandoned Manufactured Homes This legislation would protect public health and the environment by encouraging counties to develop plans for deconstructing abandoned manufactured homes and removing reusable or recyclable components. The legislation would impose an environmental remediation tax on the sale of new and used manufactured homes to fund the deconstruction of abandoned manufactured homes. Support.

H1154 Oak Island/Erosion Setback Line This legislation, which applies to the Town of Oak Island, alters setback rules in cases of beaches that have undergone renourishment programs. Altering the setback rules undermines sound planning principles and prudent coastal management rules that have been in place for some time. Oppose.

H859 / S603 Extend the Sunset for Nutrient Runoff This legislation would extend the sunset on the law that sets the per pound factor used by the Environmental Management Commission to calculate nutrient off-set payments, and requires that the nutrient off-set payment for nitrogen be calculated as it was prior to certain rule amendments. Oppose.

H990 / S1522 Land & Water Conservation Bond Act of 2007 This legislation authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds of the state, subject to a vote of the qualified voters of the state, to address statewide needs regarding land conservation, water quality protection, historic preservation, and job creation. Support.

H1073 / S927 Green School Construction Loan Fund/Program This legislation would create the green school construction revolving loan fund to be used for no interest loans to local boards of education for certain energy related construction, commissioning, and installation projects. It would also establish the green school construction program, a voluntary program for the construction or major renovation of high performance school buildings. Support.

H1233 / S1492 Solid Waste Management Act of 2007 The "Solid Waste Management Act of 2007" includes a number of substantive changes to the state's laws that govern solid waste. This act would clarify the circumstances under which an application for solid waste management could be denied; increase penalties on solid waste violations; clarify that parent/affiliate companies are financially responsible; require environmental impact and traffic studies by all applicants; provide for state-level review of proposed multi-jurisdictional facilities; and establish a disposal fee and a transfer fee to for remediation funds. Support.

S3 Promote Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency This legislation promotes the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in North Carolina, implementing a 10% renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standard. Support.

S150 Remove Vegetation From Billboards This legislation would change the Department of Transportation outdoor advertising selective vegetation removal policy to authorize a five-hundred foot removal zone, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee. Oppose.

S215 Litter Reduction This legislation would reduce roadside and other littering, as well as encouraging recycling by requiring a deposit on beverage containers and requiring redemption centers to accept returned beverage containers and refund the deposits. Support.

S241 Conservation Tax Credit Modifications This legislation would give tax credit to any corporation that invests in real property located in North Carolina, such as public beach access use, public access to public waters or trails, or fish and wildlife conservation. Support.

S273 Funds for Sylvan Heights Water Fowl Park This legislation would provide funds ($150,000) for the construction of Phase II of the Sylvan Heights Water Fowl and Eco-center in Scotland Neck. Support.

S505 Income Tax Credit for Energy Efficient Homes This legislation would provide an Income Tax credit for the building or improvement of energy efficient homes. Support.

S539 Chapel Hill Energy Efficiency Incentives This legislation would amend the Charter of the Town of Chapel Hill, allowing the town to provide development incentives in return for reduction in energy consumption. Support.

S569 Wildlife Conservation Property Tax Relief This legislation would provide property tax relief from qualified wildlife conservtion land. Support.

S634 NC GREEN Act This legislation would work towards a renewable and energy efficient economy in North Carolina (GREEEN= to Grow a Renewable and Energy Efficient Economy in NC) by establishing a green business fund, to be administered by the state energy office, that would provide seed grants to encourage the development of NC's green economy. Support.

S668 Energy Conservation in State Buildings This legislation would promote energy and water conservation in state, university and community college buildings. Support.

S670 Energy Devices that use Renewable Resources This legislation would ensure that city ordinances, county ordinances, and deed restrictions, covenants, and other similar agreements cannot prohibit the installation of devices that use renewable sources of energy. Support.

S679 Consolidation of Commissions This legislation would would do away with all the existing environmental regulatory commissions and create a new consolidated full-time “Environmental Management Commission.” The bill would eliminate the following commissions: existing Environmental Management Commission, Coastal Resources, Marine Fisheries, Mining, Radiation Protection, Sedimentation Control, Soil and Water Conservation, Water Pollution Control System Operators, Water Treatment Facility Operators, Well Contractors Certification. It would transfer responsibility for rulemaking on solid waste management, drinking water, and wastewater from the Commission on Health Services to the new mega-commission. Oppose.

S853 Disapprove Animal & Vermin Control Rule Last year, the NC Commission on Health Services adopted a rule to protrect pre-schoolers from arsenic treated wood on playgrounds. This bill would disapprove that rule. Oppose.

S939 State Energy Office Funds This legislation would give a total of $15,000,000 over two years from the General Fund to the Department of Administration to the State Energy Office to be used for energy related programs and purposes. Support.

S1553 Recyling Discarded Computer Equipment This legislation would the establish the North Carolina Producer Responsibility Program for the recycling of discarded computer equipment. Support.