Tompkins County Legislature Committee passes support for plastic bag ban

Tompkins Weekly Staff

Last Monday, the Tompkins County Legislature’s Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committee considered a new proposal from the Environmental Management Council (EMC) urging a statewide ban on plastic retail bags. Back in 2013, the Planning committee considered a similar proposal from the AMC for a Local Law to ban single-use plastic retail bags. The Local Law was discussed extensively but was eventually abandoned after County Recycling and Materials Management Director Barbara Eckstrom advised that the issue be pursued at the state level, instead of through a Local Law.

After the EMC’s recent adoption of a measure supporting a statewide ban, the Planning committee joined the recommendation to the state Legislature with a 5-0 vote in favor. The ban would include a fee on recyclable paper bags and would urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to propose, and the state Legislature to adopt, such legislation as part of the Fiscal budget for 2019.

EMC Chair Brian Edan said that achieving such a ban on the environmentally damaging plastics is “eminently-doable,” and can be achieved over time, just like when recycling was introduced years ago. Committee Chair Anna Kelles, who represents county district 2, said it’s realistic to proactively reduce reliance on plastic.
The Committee also forwarded two other unanimous resolutions for consideration by the full Legislature. One voicing opposition to the proposed garbage incinerator in the Seneca County Town of Romulus. The other opposing the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) in response to the New York State Electric and Gas “non-pipe alternative” Request for Proposals to address natural gas demand in the Lansing area.