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RESOLUTION OF THE NEW HAVEN BOARD OF ALDERS AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT THE SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ROUND 2 GRANT FROM CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO IMPLEMENT CURBSIDE CO-COLLECTION OF FOOD SCRAPS USING UNIFORM COLLECTION BAGS AND TO ENTER INTO ASSOCIATED AGREEMENTS IN ORDER TO ACCEPT GRANT FUNDING AND CARRY OUT THE ASSOCIATED GRANT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.
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WHEREAS, Connecticut is facing a waste disposal crisis;
WHEREAS, the closure of the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority in Hartford has resulted in Connecticut sending about 860,000 tons (1.7 billion pounds) of trash out of state by truck and train;
WHEREAS, most trash remains in state and is burned at aging incineration facilities;
WHEREAS, aging infrastructure has resulted in tipping fees for municipal solid waste crossing $120 per ton;
WHEREAS, this represents an increase in cost of 50% since 2017;
WHEREAS, the public health and environmental impact of incinerating and transporting trash is significant;
WHEREAS, incineration releases harmful pollutants (particulate matter, heavy metals, and dioxins) which worsen asthma and respiratory illnesses and can increase risk of cancer, reproductive, and developmental issues;
WHEREAS, food scraps make up 20-25% of the waste stream that is burned;
WHEREAS, diverting food scraps from the waste stream can help mitigate the financial risk of rising tipping fees, improve air quality, and provide soil-building nutrients;
WHEREAS, food scraps can be co-collected with refuse by diverting the material into color-coded bags;
WHEREAS, these bags can be sorted and made into compost and biogas;
WHEREAS, co-collection systems are most effective when participants utilize standardized bags to collect refuse and food scraps;
WHEREAS, such a standardized bag system will maximize the investment the city is making in a co-collection sorting facility at the New Haven transfer station;
WHEREAS, co-collection with uniform bags can enable food scrap collection, reduce litter and worker injuries, and increase recycling and source reduction; and
WHEREAS, funding is available through the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Sustainable Materials Management Round 2 Program to develop and implement source-separated organics programs and innovative waste management programs to more efficiently handle the state’s multiple waste streams.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven that the Mayor, on behalf of the City, is authorized to apply for and accept the grant mentioned herein from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor is authorized to execute said application for funding for an amount up to $2,989,257, to execute any revisions, amendments or modifications to said contract, and to sign any associated state agreements, agreements with contractors, and other documents, any of which may have a term of longer than one year and any state agreements that may include indemnification provisions that the Mayor deems desirable or necessary, including any subsequent amendments to agreements, in order to accept grant funding and carry out the associated grant program activities.