Section 27-0405. New York state local resource reuse and development program

1. The department shall design and actively implement a local resource
  reuse  and  development  program  which  shall  promote  the collection,
  intermediate processing and marketing of waste materials  that  are  now
  being  disposed  of  as  municipal  solid  waste  in New York state. The
  program shall:
    (a) promote the  development  and  implementation  of  resource  reuse
  programs by municipalities;
    (b)  serve  as  a  clearinghouse  for  information  regarding existing
  municipal resource reuse programs;
    (c) identify special  needs  and  problems  facing  municipalities  in
  developing  and  implementing  resource  reuse  programs,  and recommend
  approaches and solutions to address such identified needs and  problems;
  and
    (d)  provide  other  technical assistance to municipalities seeking to
  develop and implement resource reuse programs.
    2. The program shall provide funding for up to seventy-five percent of
  the cost of municipal resource reuse programs,  including  the  cost  of
  planning,   designing,   coordinating   and   implementing   collection,
  processing,  marketing,  public  participation,  promotional  and  other
  activities  essential  to  carrying out the program. Funds shall be made
  available for one or more of the following purposes:
    (a) an analysis of the municipal waste stream;
    (b) a preliminary market survey to identify:
    (1) firms in the region that  currently  process,  broker,  market  or
  otherwise engage in resource reuse activities, and
    (2)  the  quantity  of additional waste materials that current markets
  could absorb;
    (c) development and distribution of information based on the operation
  of the program and the related materials and market considerations;
    (d) support  of  a  local  resource  reuse  coordinator  who  will  be
  responsible   for  overseeing  development  and  implementation  of  the
  municipal resource reuse  program.  Duties  shall  include  coordinating
  municipal collection, intermediate processing and marketing efforts with
  existing local, regional and state resource reuse and market development
  efforts; and
    (e) development of a comprehensive resource reuse public education and
  promotion  campaign  to  inform  residents  regarding  the  need for and
  operation of  local  resource  reuse  efforts  and  to  increase  public
  awareness  of  the  benefits  to  be  accrued  from utilizing reused and
  recycled products. The promotional campaign shall include, but need  not
  be limited to:
    (1)  public  education  and  outreach  activities  such  as: magazine,
  newspaper, television, radio and  public  transportation  advertisements
  and public informational meetings and seminars; and
    (2)  dissemination  of  public  information  materials  providing  the
  details of the municipal program including, but not limited to items  to
  be collected, collection locations and schedules.
    3.  The  department  shall  receive applications for assistance from a
  municipality, acting alone or in conjunction  with  one  or  more  other
  municipalities.   Applications shall be evaluated based on the following
  criteria:
    (a) energy savings of the proposal;
    (b) technical feasibility of the proposal;
    (c) municipal government commitment to the program;
    (d) whether the  applicant  has  pursued  other  sources  of  funding,
  including,  but  not  limited  to  funding available under title nine of
  article fifty-one of this chapter; and

    (e) demonstrated ability of the applicant to carry  out  the  proposed
  program.
    4.   In  evaluating  proposals,  the  department  shall  consider  the
  potential for coordination and consolidation of  solid  waste  practices
  among  municipalities  within  specified  areas  or  regions,  and shall
  encourage such cooperation and consolidation where it is practicable and
  would result in enhanced energy savings,  environmental  protection  and
  cost effectiveness.