HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4780
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, December 29, 2016.
The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Senate Bill relative to recycling (Senate, No. 2389), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text contained in House document numbered 4780.
For the committee,
BRIAN S. DEMPSEY
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4780
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
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By striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the following:—
There shall be a special commission on municipal solid waste which shall examine the options to reduce municipal waste and increase recycling, composting, source reduction and other forms of beneficial materials management, in order to provide cost savings to cities and towns, achieve progress toward the greenhouse gas reduction requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act, preserve resources, create green jobs and achieve a goal of reducing municipal solid waste to no more than 450 pounds per capita served per year.
The commission shall consist of the following 13 persons, or their designees: the commissioner of environmental protection, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of revenue; 1 member of the Senate appointed by the senate president; 1 member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member of the Senate appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; 1 member of the House appointed by the minority leader of the House; and 7 members appointed by the Governor: 1 of whom shall be member of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a current or former public works director appointed upon the recommendation of the American Public Works Association, 1 of whom shall be a finance director, or an individual with a different title having similar responsibilities, appointed at the recommendation of the Government Finance Officers Association, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, 1 of whom shall be representative of the waste and recycling industry, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the waste reduction industry, and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the environmental community.
The commission shall: (i) examine the capacity of existing waste disposal options in the commonwealth and their ability to meet the waste disposal needs of the residents and businesses of the commonwealth, now and for the next 20 years; (ii) examine the content of municipal solid waste in the commonwealth to determine the potential to reduce waste disposal by increasing recycling, composting, source reduction and other forms of beneficial materials management; (iii) determine the effectiveness of the waste reduction goals included in the Solid Waste Master Plans as well as the statewide goal of 450 pounds per capita served per year; (iv) identify options to reduce municipal solid waste and increase recycling, composting, source reduction and beneficial materials management, including the costs and savings, if any, to cities and towns associated with the implementation of these options; and (v) review the most effective practices used by local governments in Massachusetts and in other states to reduce solid waste and improve recycling, composting, source reduction and beneficial materials management. The commission may solicit public input through public hearings and testimony.
On or before September 1, 2017, the commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture, and the house and senate committees on ways and means a report that includes (i) a summary of the commission’s findings; (ii) a review of the impacts of the goals in the solid waste master plan and if and how they can be improved to support additional municipal solid waste reduction; (iii) a review of the financial and climate change impacts of improved municipal recycling, composting, source reduction and materials management; (iv) a review of the best practices utilized by Massachusetts municipalities and other states to reduce municipal solid waste, and their applicability to and projected impact in Massachusetts; and (v) recommendations as to specific changes to state law and regulations that would reduce municipal solid waste and improve recycling, composting, source reduction and materials management in a way that saves money for cities and towns, improves our environment and creates jobs in recycling, composting and in other areas of beneficial materials management.