2322 Act 175 recycling program plan; public comment period

Act 175 Recycling Program Plan; Public Comment Period

[33 Pa.B. 5981]

   The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) has developed a proposed Act 175 Recycling Program Plan (plan) under the act of December 9, 2002 (P. L. 1404, No. 175) (Act 175). Act 175 amended the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (act) (53 P. S. §§ 4000.101--4000.1904) by, among other things, requiring the Department to develop a plan to assist municipalities in making recycling programs under the act financially self-sufficient. The plan must address the four following provisions:

   1.  A market development program to be funded by the recycling fund.

   2.  The extent to which municipal recycling programs under the Act can be sustained by restructuring the allocation of available recycling grants provided by Chapter 9.

   3.  Recommendations to county recycling coordinators designed to encourage market development.

   4.  Specific means, including legislative changes, that the Department intends to use to assist municipalities in making their recycling programs under the act self-sufficient.

   In addition to the four provisions, the proposed plan includes funding recommendations to assist municipalities to meet and further the goals of both the act and Act 175. The proposed plan was developed in consultation with the Recycling Fund Advisory Committee and the State Solid Waste Plan Subcommittee of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. A copy of the proposed plan must be submitted to the General Assembly by December 9, 2003.

   Interested persons are invited to submit written comments, suggestions or objections regarding the proposed plan to the Department of Environmental Protection, P. O. Box 8471, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472 (express mail: Rachel Carson State Office Building, 14th Floor, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472). Comments submitted by facsimile will not be accepted. The Department must receive all comments, suggestions or objections on the plan by January 5, 2004. All comments received during the public comment period will be summarized and responded to by the Department in a comment and response document. A copy of this document will be posted on the Department's website (www.dep.state.pa.us) and will be available to any interested individual upon request.

   Comments may also be submitted electronically to the Department to [e-mail] and must also be received by the Department by January 5, 2004. A subject heading of the proposal and a return name and address must be included in each transmission.

   Copies of the draft plan are available by contacting the Department, [phone], [e-mail]. Copies of the draft plan are also available on the Department's website at www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword: Recycling).

   Individuals with a disability who require accommodations to provide comments to the Department on the draft plan should contact the Department at [phone] or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Services at [phone] (TDD) to discuss how the Department may accommodate their needs.

KATHLEEN A. MCGINTY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 03-2322. Filed for public inspection December 5, 2003, 9:00 a.m.]