Bill Text: NY K00278 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 5-11, 2019, as Compost Awareness Week in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 29-11)

Status: (Passed) 2019-04-10 - adopted [K00278 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00278-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 278

BY: M. of A. Ortiz

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        May  5-11,  2019,  as  Compost Awareness Week in the
        State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this  Legislative  Body  to  memorialize
Governor  Andrew  M.  Cuomo  to  proclaim  May  5-11,  2019,  as Compost
Awareness Week in the  State  of  New  York,  in  conjunction  with  the
observance of International Compost Awareness Week; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Composting  Council  Research & Education Foundation,
along with Canada, Australia, the United  Kingdom  and  other  countries
have  declared  the  first  week  of  May to be the annual International
Compost Awareness Week; and

  WHEREAS, Materials  such  as  yard  trimmings,  vegetable  cuttings,
biosolids, food scraps, manures and hay shavings have all been composted
and converted into a beneficial product known as compost; and

  WHEREAS,  A majority of wasted food in the United States is disposed
of in landfills, where due to  improper  treatment,  it  decomposes  and
releases 15% of our nation's emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas that
is one of the largest contributors towards climate change; and

  WHEREAS,  Composting  is an effective form of waste reduction, reuse
and recycling, and, since organic materials make up approximately 40% of
the material going to landfills in  the  United  States,  composting  is
becoming  one  of  the  primary  methods  communities use to reach waste
diversion goals; and

  WHEREAS, Composting is a way of returning organic resources  to  the
soil and is a way of conserving water during extreme drought or flooding
conditions,  reducing  water  consumption and non-point pollution, and a
proven method of decreasing the dependence on chemical  fertilizers  and
decreasing erosion; and

  WHEREAS,  Communities,  through  their  local  governments,  highway
departments, soil conservation service and extension offices, and public
works professionals, can have significant impact on clean  water,  soil,
climate  change and landfill diversion by using compost for public works
projects; and

  WHEREAS, Composting creates green jobs and infrastructure for cities
and states that implement composting programs; and

  WHEREAS,  Composting  is  an  effective  way  to  aid  the   Climate
Leadership  Act  with the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40%
by the year 2030, which was proposed in  the  Governor's  NYS  2019-2020
budget; and

  WHEREAS,  Compost  Awareness  Week  is  a  publicity  and  education
imitative to showcase compost production and  demonstrate  compost  use;
and

  WHEREAS,  This  year's  theme  "Cool  the  Climate  -  Compost!" was
selected to  highlight  the  connection  between  soil  health  and  the
climate;  it  shows  the  relationship between soil management practices
with compost is key to soil health and migrating climate change; and

  WHEREAS,  Soil  plays  an important role in our environment; healthy
soil is at the heart of planetary, agricultural and human health; and

  WHEREAS, By composting,  we  return  nutrients  to  the  soil,  help
capture  carbon  from  the  atmosphere,  resist drought and disease, and
provide fresh air; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Andrew  M.  Cuomo  to proclaim May 5-11, 2019, as
Compost Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York; and the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation.