Friday, March 29, 2024

Goals - Regional Solid Waste Plan Development

Act 101 and the municipal waste regulations describe the required contents of a county or multicounty municipal waste management plan. The regulations in 25 PA Code Sections 272.221- 272.233 provide further detail on required content. The Plan will include the following tasks:

  • Description of the waste. This means tons and contents of municipal waste that will be generated in each county and the region.
  • Description of facilities. An analysis of the facilities currently used by the counties.
  • Estimated future capacity. An analysis of the potential regional and county needs for capacity.
  • Description of Recycling Program. Includes analysis of recyclable materials and development of alternative means to meet the 35% goal on a region-wide basis.
  • Selection and Justification of Municipal Waste Management Programs. An analysis of each county's program, including facility selection and cost of disposal, and consideration of regional alternatives such as service-sheds, transfer stations, and expanded recycling facilities.
  • Location. The identification and locations of available facilities.
  • Implementing Entity Identification. Who will be responsible for implementing the Plan on behalf of each county?
  • Public Function. Justification of and mechanisms to implement public ownership or public function in municipal waste processing or disposal, if proposed.
  • Copies of Ordinances and Resolutions. Orderly Extension. An analysis of how each county's waste management system is coordinated with other county plans, ordinances and programs.
  • Methods of Disposal Other Than By Contracts.
  • Non-Interference. A discussion of how the regional plan will not interfere with existing facilities.
  • Public Participation. Advertisements, hearing minutes, Regional SWAC meetings, notices, other public information documents.
  • Other Information. Any other information the Department may require.

Given that this is a Regional Plan, it will also include the following:

  • Describe the purpose of the plan, noting special or unique county concerns and issues.
  • Consider waste management services as a regional system of collection and recycling/disposal services and facilities.
  • Evaluate the logistics of waste flows occurring within the region both presently and within the future, including consideration of waste volumes, origin/destination patterns, transportation corridors used, modal split, and the type of goods shipped.
  • Develop maps that correspond to service-sheds (not necessarily county boundaries).
  • Develop strategies to feasibly and economically address identified waste trends while preserving our quality of life.
  • Promote stability/certainty of waste flow, priority service for partners, competitive service costs, and flexibility to address special needs as they arise.
  • Evaluate expansion of recycling programs on a regional basis and identify funding mechanisms for continuation of local recycling administration.
  • Document the benefits to each county, its residents and its businesses of participating in the identified regional municipal waste management programs as specified in DEP Document 254-2212-504 Guidelines for Development and Implementation of County Municipal Waste Management Plan Revisions.
  • Assess environmental benefits including, but not limited to, reductions in greenhouse gas and carbon credits, using the Northeastern Environmental Center www.nerc.org environmental benefits calculator, or comparable instrument.
  • Document economies of scale, recycling economies and expansion potential, and sustainability of recycling programs.
  • Create a consensus-building atmosphere among municipalities and stakeholders that will facilitate plan preparation and implementation.
  • Involve all interested parties, such as chambers of commerce, municipalities, state agencies, regional planning/development groups, general public, etc., in the planning process.
  • Use existing commissions/committees/associations as a vehicle for informing interested stakeholders about the plan and getting them involved in the planning process and implementation phase.
  • Emphasize practical means of implementing the plan.
  • Identify county policies, actions/investments, capital projects or coordinated services that reflect a plan regionally/act locally approach,
  • Identify regional policies, actions/investments, capital projects or coordinated services by which counties would benefit from working together and the means by which to do so,
  • Identify roles and responsibilities for the implementation steps,
  • Initiate an on-going regional forum and process to implement the plan, allowing waste issues to be discussed and analyzed by public and private sector partners and for appropriate decisions about regional waste issues to be made.

Click here to download a PDF of the goals.

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