S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7893
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 19, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the board of
   trustees of The State University of New York to  develop  a  SUNY-wide
   zero waste action plan
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  355-f
 to read as follows:
   § 355-F. SUNY-WIDE ZERO WASTE ACTION PLAN. 1. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH  FACULTY,  STAFF, STUDENTS, THE STUDENT ASSEMBLY, ANY
 LABOR ORGANIZATION WHICH HAS BEEN SELECTED BY MEMBERS OF FACULTY, STAFF,
 OR STUDENTS TO REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS, AND ANY  DESIGNATED  SUSTAINA-
 BILITY STAFF MEMBER SHALL ISSUE A REPORT ON OR BEFORE ONE YEAR AFTER THE
 EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF THIS SECTION CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE SUNY-WIDE ZERO
 WASTE ACTION PLAN INCLUDING BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  THE  FOLLOWING  FOCUS
 AREAS:
   A.  SOURCE  REDUCTION  ALSO KNOWN AS WASTE MINIMIZATION, INCLUDING BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) SINGLE USE PLASTICS ELIMINATION AND REDUCTION; AND
   (II) REFORMS TO PROCUREMENT RESULTING IN WASTE MINIMIZATION;
   B. MATERIALS REUSE, INCLUDING SURPLUS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND FACILITY
 DECONSTRUCTION;
   C. COMPREHENSIVE  RECYCLING,  INCLUDING  CONSTRUCTION  AND  DEMOLITION
 MATERIALS;
   D. COMPREHENSIVE COMPOSTING OR ORGANICS RECYCLING;
   E. STUDENT, FACULTY, AND STAFF ENGAGEMENT; AND
   F. VENDOR AND CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS AND ENGAGEMENT.
   2.  THE  PLAN  SHALL  INCLUDE METRICS FOR TRACKING WASTE REDUCTION AND
 DIVERSION ACROSS THE SYSTEM, ESTABLISHING A  BASELINE,  INTERIM  TARGETS
 FOR GOALS AND ACTIONS THAT WILL LEAD TO ZERO WASTE, AND PUBLICLY REPORT-

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04995-01-3
              

 A. 7893                             2
 
 ING  THIS  INFORMATION.  ZERO  WASTE  GOALS  MUST INCLUDE BOTH DIVERSION
 THROUGH RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING AND REDUCTION THROUGH  WASTE  MINIMIZA-
 TION GOALS. THE ZERO WASTE ACTION PLAN MUST PRIORITIZE DURABLE AND REUS-
 ABLE  MATERIALS  OVER  SINGLE USE MATERIALS, EVEN IF THOSE MATERIALS ARE
 RECYCLABLE AND/OR COMPOSTABLE.
   3. THE PLAN SHALL SET A DETAILED PROJECT TIMELINE FOR  THE  SYSTEM  TO
 BECOME ZERO WASTE BY TWO THOUSAND THIRTY-ONE.
   4.  WITHIN  ONE  HUNDRED  EIGHTY DAYS OF THE ISSUANCE OF A SYSTEM WIDE
 PLAN, EACH SUNY CAMPUS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  CREATE  A  DETAILED  ACTION
 PLAN,  IN CONSULTATION WITH FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS, STUDENT GOVERNMENT
 ASSOCIATIONS, ANY LABOR ORGANIZATION WHICH HAS BEEN SELECTED BY  MEMBERS
 OF  FACULTY,  STAFF,  OR  STUDENTS TO REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS, AND ANY
 DESIGNATED SUSTAINABILITY STAFF MEMBER.
   5. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES  SHALL  BE  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  MONITORING  THE
 EFFECTIVENESS  AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF SUCH PROGRAM IN CONSULTATION WITH
 FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS, THE STUDENT ASSEMBLY, AND ANY LABOR  ORGANIZA-
 TION  WHICH  HAS BEEN SELECTED BY MEMBERS OF FACULTY, STAFF, OR STUDENTS
 TO REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS, AND SHALL ANNUALLY REPORT TO THE  LEGISLA-
 TURE  ON THE PROGRESS OF THE PLAN AND POST SUCH REPORT ON THE UNIVERSITY
 WEBSITE. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT  OF  ALL  WASTE
 AND  MATERIALS  DIVERTED  AND UPDATES ON INVENTORY AND SHALL REVIEW EACH
 CAMPUS ACTION PLAN AND INCLUDE INTERMEDIATE MEASURES SHOULD A CAMPUS NOT
 BE ON TRACK TO MEET THE TWO THOUSAND THIRTY-ONE DEADLINE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.