Explanation
In 1988, Ohio faced a combination of solid waste management problems including declining landfill capacity, ever increasing generation of waste to be disposed, environmental problems at many existing solid waste disposal facilities, and an influx of out-of-state waste. Citizen, government, and private sector concern over these pressing problems forged a legislative coalition to create a comprehensive solid waste management program for Ohio. The resulting legislation that came out of these efforts was House Bill (HB) 592.
HB 592 was designed to develop an organized and planned approach to solid waste management in Ohio and to avoid a solid waste crisis created by a shortage of landfill capacity within the state. As a result of HB 592, Ohio has been divided into 52 single and multi-county solid waste districts. Each district is charged with developing and maintaining a written plan for solid waste management within the district and to achieve State waste reduction and management goals. Each district is required to update its solid waste management plan every five years.
The established district for Columbus is the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO). The last district solid waste management plan was approved by the State in 2000. The plan includes the programs that SWACO proposes to address to achieve solid waste reduction in our district. It follows the guidelines laid out by the State of Ohio, which include a residential recycling rate of twenty five percent (25%), and an industrial sector landfill diversion rate of at least fifty percent (50%).
The planning process for the latest plan update was launched in May, 2003. A working committee consisting of neighborhood residents, business representatives, and local civic leaders met during the subsequent months to discuss issues, formulate goals, and develop a series of recommendations. The outcomes of the committee meetings (goals and recommendations) were compiled by SWACO and assembled into a draft plan. SWACO then held a 30 day public comment period in October 2004 and held a public hearing on November 2, 2004, for interested residents, businesses, or political jurisdictions to provide comments.
The SWACO Board of Directors reviewed and accepted the plan on December 7, 2004. Programs discussed include year round Household Hazardous Waste mobile collections, an organic waste recycling site, blue bag recycling, and assessing the viability of new technologies for the disposal of tires with economically feasible recycling options.
SWACO is seeking approval from this Council on the district solid waste management plan update. Without approval from the City of Columbus City Council, this plan cannot be submitted to the Ohio EPA for final approval. A plan that is not accepted by sixty percent (60%) of the municipalities within a planning district becomes one that the Ohio EPA could rewrite and possibly dictate programming that might be unacceptable or disadvantageous to Columbus businesses or residents.
Emergency action is requested so that this plan may be accepted on or before April 3, 2005.
Title
To approve the Solid Waste Management Plan for the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) as a guide for the management of solid waste and waste reduction activities within the District; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is located within the jurisdiction of the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO); and
WHEREAS, the SWACO Board of Trustees prepared and adopted a final draft of the Solid Waste Management Plan in accordance with Ohio Revised Code Sections 3734.53, 3734.54, and 3734.55; and
WHEREAS, SWACO has provided a copy of the Draft Final Solid Waste Management Plan for ratification to each of the legislative autorities of the District; and
WHEREAS, this plan was formally submitted to the Public Service Director and to the City Clerk on January 3, 2005; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus must decide whether it approves of said Solid Waste Management Plan within 90 days of receipt of the Final Draft Plan; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Public Service Department, in that it is immediately necessary to adopt the Solid Waste Management Plan in order to comply with the provisions of Ohio Revised Code Sections 3734.53, 3734.54, and 3734.55, and to approve or reject said plan within 90 days of receiving it, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. The City of Columbus approves the SWACO Solid Waste Management Plan.
SECTION 2. The Clerk is hereby directed to send a copy of this resolution to: SWACO, 6220 Young Road, Grove City, Ohio 43123.
SECTION 3. That it is found and determined that all formal actions of this City Council concerning and relating to the adoption of this resolution were adopted in an open meeting of this Council and of any of its committees that resulted in such formal actions were in meetings open to the public in compliance with all legal requirements including Sections 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code.
SECTION 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its adoption and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after adoption if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.