S5331

The New York State Senate passed legislation Tuesday to expand the state's food waste diversion and donation program, overcoming Republican opposition that the measure was rushed and excluded key stakeholders. Senate Print 5331, sponsored by Sen. Harckham, advances a program currently in its 16th month of a pilot phase to require broader food waste recycling and donation across the state. The bill passed 44-17, with all 17 nays coming from Republican senators. Sen. Borrello led opposition, arguing the pilot program had insufficient time to prove its effectiveness and that the Restaurant Association—which participated in crafting the original program—was excluded from the legislative process on this expansion. Borrello also criticized the removal of a 25-mile radius requirement for food waste haulers, contending it would force restaurants in rural areas to pay for long-distance transportation by diesel trucks. Harckham countered that the expansion was always planned under the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act scoping plan and that restaurants actually save money by eliminating waste tonnage. He noted that hardship waivers are available for those facing transportation barriers, with 90 percent of waiver requests granted during the pilot phase. The sponsor cited food waste as equivalent to emissions from 42 coal-fired power plants and noted that between 10 and 30 percent of New Yorkers go to bed hungry nightly. Eight other states and major cities have implemented similar programs, Harckham said.