HomeMy WebLinkAbout12. 21-304
JUNE 8, 2021 21-304 RESOLUTION
(CARRIED___6-0____ LOST _______ LAID OVER _______ WITHDRAWN _______)
PURPOSE: APPROVE SUPPORTING THE RESTORATION OF RECYCLING
GRANT FUNDING
INITIATED BY: CITY ADMINISTRATION
WHEREAS, recycling provides a whole host of environmental benefits, including
preserving natural resources, less air pollution, energy savings, reduced greenhouse gas
emissions, reducing mining wastes and conserving landfill space; and
WHEREAS, recycling also provides extensive economic benefits, providing
material feedstock for manufacturing, business development, state and local tax revenue
and four times more jobs than the disposal industry; and
WHEREAS, the State of Wisconsin mandated recycling in 1990 under 1989
Wisconsin Act 335 and Administrative Code NR 544; and
WHEREAS, Towns, Villages, Cities and Counties responded by becoming
Responsible Units for Recycling and as such, invested millions of dollars in education,
collection and processing infrastructure for Effective Recycling Programs; and
WHEREAS, an effective recycling program includes operating a recycling
collection system for residents, conducting recycling education, developing methods of
compliance and implementing all other facets of the law; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature recognized that implementing effective recycling
programs would require financial assistance and approved the Basic Grants for RUs, the
funding for which comes from a Recycling Fee, a $7.00/ton fee charged on each ton of
municipal solid waste disposed of at Wisconsin landfills; and
WHEREAS, annually $30-$40 million is collected as the Recycling Fee; and
JUNE 8, 2021 21-304 RESOLUTION
CONT’D
WHEREAS, while the Recycling Fee dollars collected by landfills has remained
consistent or increased, the money available to RUs has diminished from $29.5 million in
2009 to $19 million in 2020; and
WHEREAS, the State of Wisconsin originally proposed to cost share 66% of the
Responsible Units’ costs for establishing and maintaining Effective Recycling Programs;
and
WHEREAS, in 2018, the Recycling Fee Grant Funds covered only 16.4% of the
eligible recycling expenditures reported by Responsible Units; and
WHEREAS, to build on the recycling successes of the past 30 years, to maintain
local recycling infrastructure and to continue to supply local manufacturers with recycled
material feedstocks, additional funding is needed to support the growing expense of local
programs; and
WHEREAS, the Winnebago County Solid Waste Management Board has also
adopted a Resolution urging the restoration of recycling funding to the Recycling Grant
Program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Oshkosh hereby joins with
Winnebago County and other municipalities and counties to urge the Wisconsin
Legislature and Joint Committee on Finance to restore recycling funding to the Recycling
Grant to its previous base funding of $29.5 million.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager cause a copy of this resolution
to be forwarded to the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Winnebago County State
Representatives and State Senators, the Joint Committee on Finance and Governor Tony
Evers.
I:\Engineering\Tracy Taylor\Memos to Mayor & Common Council\2021\Approve Support
Restoration of Recycling Grant Funding_6-3-21.docx Page 1 of 2
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council
FROM: James Rabe, Director of Public Works
DATE: June 3, 2021
RE: Approve Supporting the Restoration of Recycling Grant Funding
BACKGROUND
In 1990, the State of Wisconsin mandated recycling under 1989 Wisconsin Act 335 and
Administrative Code NR 544. Because the legislature recognized that implementing
effective recycling programs would require financial assistance, it approved Basic Grants
for Responsible Units (RU’s). The funding of these grants comes from a Recycling Fee of
$7.00/ton fee charged on each ton of municipal solid waste disposed of at Wisconsin
landfills.
Municipalities (including Towns, Villages, Cities, and Counties) responded by becoming
RU’s for recycling and invested millions of dollars in education, collection and processing
infrastructure for effective recycling programs. Originally, Brown, Outagamie, and
Winnebago Counties all constructed material recovery facilities (MRF) in their individual
counties to serve the recycling processing needs of their residents. In 2002, these counties
signed a cooperative agreement to consolidate recycling processing operations and to
eliminate one (1) MRF in order to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness. In 2009, to
further enhance operational efficiencies and to invest in needed technological
improvements, these counties consolidated all processing operations into a new, jointly-
owned single-stream recycling MRF at a cost of $9.8 million. Additionally, over the years,
these counties have invested additional funding of nearly $3.5 million to further enhance
operational efficiencies, to expand recyclable material acceptance, and to make needed
technological updates.
ANALYSIS
Originally, the State of Wisconsin proposed to cost share through the Basic Grants 66%
of the Municipalities’ costs for establishing and maintaining effective recycling programs.
Annually, $30 to $40 million is collected as the Recycling Fee. While the Recycling Fee
collected by landfills has remained consistent or increased, the money available to RU’s
through these grants has diminished from $29.5 million in 2009 to $19 million in 2020. In
C:\Users\dianem\Desktop\06.08.21\12.docx Page 2 of 2
2018, these grant funds only covered 16.4% of the eligible recycling expenditures reported
by municipalities.
FISCAL IMPACT
Restoring the Recycling Program Grant funding would have a positive impact on the
City’s financial situation. In 2008, the City received $402,371 through this program. In
2021, that amount will be $238,003, a 41% reduction is assistance over that time, while the
revenue collected by the State of Wisconsin has held steady or increased.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I recommend approval of this resolution, urging the State of Wisconsin Legislature to
restore the recycling grant program funding levels.
Approved,
Mark A. Rohloff
City Manager
JER/tlt