Never say never — A landfill could still land in Ulster County

KINGSTON – Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee members of the Ulster County Legislature shot down a resolution on Tuesday that ensured a landfill would not end up anywhere in the county.  

The resolution failed by a vote of 5-2.

Just two days before, the Legislature’s nine-member Republican caucus introduced the resolution, which opposed the citing of a countywide landfill anywhere within the county’s borders.

Democratic Legislator Manna Jo Greene voted against the measure. “This constrains our ability to implement a solid waste management plan—it’s a not-in-my-backyard attitude,” she said.  “It’s the opposite of taking local responsibility.”

Legislator Kathy Nolan, a Democrat, believes the resolution was not the right approach.

“I do share the concern that this kind of broad brush gives an impression of not caring and seeing ourselves as somehow special to our neighboring counties.”

Democratic Legislator Eric Stewart says voting for such a resolution is not in the county’s best interest.

“When the time comes, it would hurt our ability to negotiate with other counties when we say—not here.”

Just last month, the legislature voted against a similar measure, opposing a landfill in Wawarsing.

The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency manages the disposal of nearly 140 thousand tons of the county’s solid waste each year.

Without a local landfill, it currently ships its solid waste nearly 250 miles to a landfill in Seneca Meadows, New York.