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Policy and Legislation

Policy and Legislation. 2012 Annual Conference Policy & Legislation Session May 15, 2012. The Purpose of this Session. What is the VRA Policy Committee? Committee activity during 2012 Session VRA involvement with the 2012 Session Results of Legislation effecting Recycling

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Policy and Legislation

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  1. Policy and Legislation 2012 Annual Conference Policy & Legislation Session May 15, 2012

  2. The Purpose of this Session • What is the VRA Policy Committee? • Committee activity during 2012 Session • VRA involvement with the 2012 Session • Results of Legislation effecting Recycling • Expectations for 2013 Session Policy & Legislation Session

  3. The VRA Policy Committee • The Committee monitors legislation and regulations that will impact the VRA and it’s membership. • The Committee prepares position statements, drafts letters, and presents recommendations to VRA Board. • VRA Board may take formal action, such as, submit letters or position statements to the General Assembly, and\or Local and Municipal Government Officials. Policy & Legislation Session

  4. Politics Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary. Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Practical politics consists of ignoring facts. Henry Adams (1838-1918) Policy & Legislation Session

  5. VRA Direct Involvement with 2012 General Assembly SB288 Alcoholic beverage control; local ordinance; recycling for certain on-premises licensees - Patron: Senator Mamie Locke (D) – District 2 (Parts of Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth and York County ― January 20, 2012 – Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services • Representing the VRA, I spoke in SUPPORT of SB288 • OPPOSED by VA Hospitality & Travel Association (VHTA) • Bill failedto report; 12-N and 3-Y, along party lines Policy & Legislation Session

  6. 2012 Significant Legislation • HB913 Solid waste management plan, regional or local; making such plans optional. • SB676 Recycling survey; requires solid waste planning units and localities to submit report every 4 years. • HJ49, Item #37 - elimination of Litter Control & Recycling Advisory Fund Board Policy & Legislation Session

  7. HB913 Solid waste management plan • January 27, Policy Committee recommends to VRA Board - OPPOSE HB913. • January 27, VRA Board resolves to oppose HB913. • January 30, letters from VRA Board to Bill Patron, Committee Chair, and other members of General Assembly OPPOSING HB913. Policy & Legislation Session

  8. SB676 Recycling survey • January 27, VRA Policy Committee recommends to VRA Board - OPPOSE SB676 • January 27, VRA Board resolves to oppose SB676. • January 30, letters from VRA Board to Bill Patron, Committee Chair, and other members of General Assembly OPPOSING SB676. Policy & Legislation Session

  9. Governor’s Commission on Government Reform & Restructuring BACKGROUND June 2010, Governor McDonnell established a Commission to “…conduct a thorough review of Virginia state government.” • From 2010 through 2011, various Commission Work Groups conducted more than 30 meetings. • November 14, 2011, the Commission received the Work Group Recommendations • November 25, 2011, the Governor issued a Report – Proposed Reorganization of State Government – to the General Assembly of Virginia. Policy & Legislation Session

  10. Governor McDonnell Government Reform Initiatives for 2012 Legislative Session Eliminate 2 State Agencies and 19 Boards and Commissions; Merge 7 Agencies and 23 Boards and Commissions Into Others 

  11. Litter Control & Recycling Fund Board HJ49/SJ49, Item #37 - elimination of Litter Control & Recycling Advisory Fund Board VRA Policy Committee, Erica Trout, Association Manager, and other members, “collaborated” with: • Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB) – Mike Baum • VA Council on Litter Prevention & Recycling (VCLPR) – Jen Cole • VA Beer Wholesalers Association - Dennis Gallagher Policy & Legislation Session

  12. Governor's Task Force for Local Government Mandate Review • September 2011, Governor Bob McDonnell announced the creation of the Governor's Task Force for Local Government Mandate Review. • The five-member Task Force is a result of legislation introduced during the 2011 General Assembly Session by Senator Steve Newman (R-Bedford County) to review state mandates imposed on localities and to recommend temporary suspension or permanent repeal of such mandates as appropriate. Policy & Legislation Session

  13. Align Programs: Elevate Environmental Education program by moving it from the Department of Environmental Quality to the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) interfaces with the general public on a regular basis. The operation of state parks, natural heritage, and planning and recreational resources provides a variety of opportunities to communicate and work with citizen groups, families and children as part of its mission. Aligning the state’s environmental program within the Department of Conservation and Recreation will benefit the public and the program, rather than leaving it with a primarily regulatory agency. The group makes the following recommendation: The group recommends moving the Environmental Education program from the Department of Environmental Quality to the Department of Conservation and Recreation to enhance its effectiveness and align it with other complimentary programs. Policy & Legislation Session

  14. Virginia Waste Tire Trust Fund Policy & Legislation Session

  15. Legislation Effecting Waste Tire Trust Fund The Waste Tire Trust Fund continues to experience reductions; $ 500,000 in FY 2009 $2,000,000 in FY 2010  $1,500,000 in FY 2011  $1,500,000 for FY 2012 Contracts to address the remaining piles have been postponed. The Tire Recycling Fee was reduced to $0.50 on July 1, 2011. Policy & Legislation Session

  16. 2012 Legislation Effecting Waste Tire Trust Fund FY12-13 Budget bills call for: Reducefunding for waste tire pile cleanup - $1,500,000 Policy & Legislation Session

  17. Legislative Champions Policy & Legislation Session

  18. VRA Legislative Champions The VRA needs to identify and acknowledge the few Virginia legislators who: • step up to the plate consistently by sponsoring sound environmental legislation, and • who are proactive on environmental issues, and have a notable environmental record. The VRA should identify and foster relationships with these legislators who are a reliable voice for issues impacting our natural resources, who work effectively with the environmental community, and make protecting the environment a priority when making hard decisions. Policy & Legislation Session

  19. Goal: Stakeholder MeetingsSummer and Fall 2012 • Senator John Miller (D) – Newport News • Senator Mamie Locke (D) – Newport News • Delegate John Cosgrove (R) – Chesapeake • Delegate Ken Plum (D) – Reston • Aluminum Cans – Anheuser-Busch Recycling • Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) – Mike Smaha • Plastics Industry – Phil Abraham • Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association – Dennis Gallagher • Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association (VHTA) Policy & Legislation Session

  20. ABC Container Recycling in NC North Carolina General Statue 18B-1006.1 was passed by the General Assembly in 2005 and requires all businesses that hold on-premises malt beverage permits, on-premises unfortified wine permits, on-premise fortified wine permits or mixed beverage permits to separate, store and provide for the collection of all recyclable beverage containers for all beverages sold for consumption on the premises. If customer is consuming a beverage in a recyclable container on the property of the business, that container must be collected and recycled. Policy & Legislation Session

  21. Policy & Legislation Session

  22. What has to be recycled? All beverage containers made out of material that can be recycled, such as glass bottles and containers, plastic bottles and containers and aluminum cans. • This includes all containers, even if the container did not originally hold an alcoholic beverage (plastic water bottles and soda cans). • Containers sold for individual consumption (beer bottles) and larger containers that individual drinks are poured from (wine bottles and spirituous liquor bottles) must be collected and recycled. Policy & Legislation Session

  23. Results of ABC Program • More than 6,000 bars and restaurants are now recycling bottles and cans. • Local governments directly picking up from more than 1,000 ABC accounts. • Small portion of ABC permit holders are using public drop-off sites. • Many small private business start-ups and expansions to serve permit-holders. Policy & Legislation Session

  24. Figure 8: Local Government Collection of Plastic BottlesFY00 – FY10 Policy & Legislation Session

  25. Figure 9: North Carolina Plastic Bottle Recycling Rate through Local Collection Programs, FY06 – FY10 Policy & Legislation Session

  26. "All politics is local" Thomas Phillip "Tip“ O'Neill, Jr. (December 9, 1912 – January 5, 1994) Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1977 until his retirement in 1987 Policy & Legislation Session

  27. What You Can Do Policy & Legislation Session

  28. “It’s Not My Job” Policy & Legislation Session

  29. Policy & Legislation Session

  30. Comments/Questions Tim Lee Vice President, VRA Board of Directors; and Chair, VRA Policy Committee Phone: 757-871-4061 timlee@tfcrecycling.com Policy & Legislation Session

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