By Leni Santoro
LIBERTY — June 15, 2007 — This year the Sullivan Renaissance Municipal Clean-Up Program is providing matching grants to assist municipalities with the clean-up of three roadside sites and the removal of ten derelict, unsightly and unsafe structures spanning eight towns and villages in Sullivan County. Municipalities may use in-kind contributions, private funds, and/or other sources of revenue for their match.
There is expected to be approximately 700 tons of combined waste material from all the clean-up sites and demolitions.
But much of that waste will not find its way into the Sullivan County landfill thanks to a very special cooperative effort between Sullivan Renaissance, the Sullivan County Legislature and the Division of Public Works (DPW); Taylor Recycling Facility LLC of Montgomery, NY; and Waste Management of Beach Lake, PA. This “collaborative effort” not only makes possible the large number of clean-ups but ensures that no one single landfill will be the recipient of the waste material.
For its part, Sullivan County is once again helping with disposal of the solid waste in the county landfill on a space available basis. Sullivan County is waiving the tipping fees for disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) debris from seven of the ten buildings that will be demolished through this program.
These include a residence and garage in the Town of Bethel, the former Delmar Hotel in the Town of Liberty, a former Luxton Lake clubhouse in the Town of Tusten, two residential structures in Loch Sheldrake in the Town of Fallsburg, and a residence on Pleasant Street in the Village of Monticello .
A new component of the program this year is the partnership with two outside companies that will play a vital role in the program.
Taylor Recycling Facility will be responsible for the disposal of the material from the building on North Main Street in Liberty and two additional structures in the Town of Fallsburg. The debris will be processed at their plant in Montgomery, including sorting and recycling the waste material from those sites. More than 95 percent of the material brought to Taylor Recycling will eventually become useable building materials.
Another new component of the program this year is the clean up of three roadside sites in collaboration with Waste Management of Beach Lake, Pa.
The Towns of Fallsburg, Mamakating and Thompson will use community service and prison work crews to clean up years of dumping along Willow Heights Avenue in South Fallsburg. Mamakating will use its grant to clean up miles of newly developed trail along the D&H Canal Tow Path near Wurtsboro. Volunteers and town work crews will remove over 500 tires, car chassis and other debris along the trail.
Waste Management is donating roll-off containers and disposal of the debris at its Alliance Landfill. Waste Management will haul and dispose of roadside waste from municipal cleanups in the towns of Fallsburg, Mamakating and Thompson. The debris will be brought to their landfill in Pennsylvania.
Other programs include: three categories of grants based on the size of the projects; special awards for environmental impact, historic preservation, showing of flowers and project maintenance; mini-grants; seasonal community matching grants; and SCCC scholarships. The school spruce up program assists young people with beautification projects at their school grounds or in their communities.
See page 3A for list of grants.