Re: [greenyes] Hawaii and New York - Key Bottle Bill Decisions Pending

[lkingeco2@no.address]

Dear GreenYes Colleagues,

                         Re:  Hawaii and New York Bottle Bill Laws

Important decisions are pending in Hawaii regarding regulations to implement 
the first new bottle bill in nearly two decades and in the New York State 
Legislature (see the article in today's New York Times referenced below).  
Spending in New York to defeat the bottle bill expansion rivals the campaign in 
California several years ago, even though the bill by Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli 
hasn't yet come up for a floor vote.

1.  Hawaii: I heard last week that regulations to implement Hawaii's bottle 
bill haven't been released for review. Responsible parties (i.e. recycling 
companies, beverage distributors, grocery store chains) need lead time to 
implement the program.  Is this foot dragging, as it was characterized, a conscious 
effort by bottle bill opponents to delay another year?

Also, I heard the governor has thrown in the towel and will not support 
repeal, in light of a new survey of legislators showing there isn't support for 
repeal.  Is that accurate?

2.  New York - Bigger Better Bottle Bill:  What are the prospects that the 
bill introduced by Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli, chairman of the Environment 
Conservation Committee, will get a floor vote in this session?  The New York 
Times story today by Marc Santora conveys a sense of the intense spending by the 
beverage, grocery and supermarket chains to defeat the bill.  The story 
headline is "Legislators in Albany return to the Bottle Bill. Again."  It appears 
on page A21 of the National Edition.

Quoting The New York Times:

"In 2003, beverage interest alone spent $541,585 on lobbying, according to 
the New York Public Interest Research Group.  Retail interests, including large 
grocery stores and supermarket chains, spent $267,008.  Eight of the 10 most 
highly paid lobbying firms, according to 2002 figures, did work on bottle bill 
legislation last year."

Is the NYPIRG research or report available on the Internet?

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has yet to express an opinion on the bottle 
bill, according his spokesman in a quote in the story.

New York appears to be the most important bottle bill battle ground in 2004 
and the story in the paper today provides interesting perspective.

3. Additional state updates:  Perhaps CRI can give us a quick update on 
developments in other states, particularly where bills are already on the public 
record from last year.

It would be good to hear from NYPIRG and from bottle bill supporters in 
Hawaii as well, at least in terms of what may already be on the public record there.

Lance King
Chairman
Community Solutions
5615 26th Street N.
Arlington, VA 22207
Tel: 703/536-7282
Fax: 703/538-5504
Email: lkingeco2@no.address