Schumer Announces Federal Dollars Coming To Erie County
USDA Funds Will Be Used For Solid Waste Management Improvements
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that a $105,000 grant was awarded to Erie County to provide funding for a solid waste management project. The funds are being awarded through the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program as a Solid Waste Management grant.
"This is great news for Erie County," Schumer said. "The waste management system is critical to the livelihood of the community and the health of local residents. This funding for the waste management system will improve the quality of life in the area.
Federal dollars will be used to fund the solid waste management project that will provide outreach, education and specific waste disposal opportunities for the nineteen rural towns and villages in Erie County, New York. Educational and outreach efforts will focus on solid waste issues such as open burning of garbage, septic maintenance and illegal dumping, all of which may impact water quality. The project is also intended to work with communities to identify workable solutions to reduce waste and water contamination by promoting increased recycling opportunities, household hazardous waste collections, and backyard composting.
The USDA Rural Development Solid Waste Management Grant program provides funds to reduce or eliminate pollution of water resources in rural areas. The grant program also sends funds to improve planning and management of solid waste sites in rural areas. Grants can be used to evaluate current landfill conditions to determine threats to water resources; provide technical assistance and training to enhance operator skills in the operation and maintenance of active landfills; provide technical assistance and training to help communities reduce the solid waste stream, and provide assistance to operators of landfills which are closed or will be closed in the near future with development and implementation of closure plans, future land use plans, safety and maintenance planning, and closure scheduling within permit requirements.
