Environmental Services

Introduction

The Environmental Services Division is responsible for planning, development and oversight of the solid waste collection, disposal and recycling activities within the Town Solid Waste Management Planning Unit. It is our goal to provide reliable solid waste management for wastes generated within the Town, while providing a high level of protection for public health and the environment.

Colonie Landfill Background

The Town's initial Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) was prepared in 1992 and it called for waste reduction and recycling as well as further development of the Town Landfill to provide long term, local solid waste disposal capacity.

In 2009 an update to the SWMP was adopted and it included new provisions for promoting waste reduction and increasing recycling as well as providing for continued long term solid waste disposal capacity at the Colonie Landfill through the development of Landfill Area 7.

In 2011 the Town entered into an operating agreement with Capital Region Landfills (CRL) to operate the Town of Colonie Landfill and they began operating the facility in September of 2011. In accordance with the adopted Solid Waste Management Plan the Town, in conjunction with CRL, submitted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and the necessary applications to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) in 2015 for permits to develop Landfill Area 7 at the existing landfill site.

In August of 2016 the NYSDEC deemed the Area 7 Landfill Development DEIS and associated applications (solid waste management permit, air quality permit, and wetlands permit) complete.

Public Notices of Completion were published August 24, 2016 in the Times Union and the DEC Environmental Notice Bulletin. To allow for additional public input on the project the published notices also include notice of a 45-day Public Comment Period ending on October 7, 2016 (extended to November 1, 2016) and notice of a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Public Comment Hearing scheduled for 6 pm on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at the Shaker High School Auditorium. Click here and here to view the notices.

A second Legislative Public Comment Hearing regarding this proposed landfill project was scheduled for Tuesday, October 25, 2016 at the Shaker High School auditorium, located at 445 Watervliet Shaker Rd, Latham, NY, starting at 6:00 p.m. to receive unsworn statements from the public. Click here to view the notice. Information on the proposed Landfill Area 7 Project, including copies of documentation submitted to the NYSDEC, may be found by clicking here.