The Beginning: Part One 5/11/15 PV Public Hearing: Single Use Plastic Bag Ban

• Report rights infringement
• published: 19 May 2015
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5/11/15 Patchogue Village Board of Trustees public hearing on a proposed ban of single use plastic bags. This video setting the stage for presentations, and some but not all of the presentations made before the public speaks. Time code and narrative In minutes and seconds 0:58 Meeting opens 2:00 Treasurer’s report 3:07 Clerk Seal announces public hearing 3:48 technical issue arises with microphones for both public use and Trustees 9:13 Mayor Pontieri lays out goals of the public hearing 11:02 Trustee Keyes explains origin of the proposed law to ban single use plastic bags in Patchogue Village 16:08 Mayor Pontieri explains order of speakers: presentation by advocates on both sides of the issue, Board members to be canvassed for their opinions following presentations, public portion to occur, end actions thereafter. 17:35 Trustee Keyes clarifies that proposed law is not to promote paper bags over plastic bags 18:08 First presentation: Adrienne Esposito Ex. Director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment offers multiple reasons for the adoption of the proposed law by Patchogue Village and advocates for its adoption Here is a link to the organization’s website with more info: http://www.citizenscampaign.org/campaigns/plastic-bags.asp 29:13 Jay Pelz, attorney for the Food Industry Alliance presents the FIA case against the ban focusing on their interpretation that state law bans the village from taking action as such action must occur by state law not local village law. He refers to ongoing case not yet decided involving the Village of Hastings on the Hudson. Also indicated formally that Krasdale food chain and Bravo supermarket are opposed to the proposed ban Here is a link to the FID website for more info: http://www.fiany.com/ He also refers to the issue of an a SEQR a mandated state environmental quality review report that he claims the village will have difficulty complying with. For more information about what that review does require see this link: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/357.html 38:05 Village attorney Egan and Mr. Pelz engage in a discussion about underlying legal issues with particular reference to whether the village is pre-empted by the State of NY in adopting any such ban. 41:12 Clerk Seal reads into the record a letter from Shop Right supermarket chain opposing the proposed ban 43: 12 Adrienne Esposito returns to the podium and offers rebuttal testimony to earlier testimony provided by FIA attorney Pelz. She cites other NY State localities which have adopted similar laws without state approval, rebuttal from Trustee Ferb on the issue of compliance with an environmental impact study and reply to same 48:32 Trustee Ferb has more questions particularly with respect to “life cycle” of various bags in question i.e. plastic, paper, and reusable bag of different material 50:40 Attorney Pelz responds to Trustee Ferb’s question and offers additional rebuttal of Ms. Esposito’s just concluded testimony 54:54 Attorney Egan and attorney Pelz discuss current case litigation which may provide legal guidance namely the Village of Hastings on the Hudson case Here is a link to information about the legal case in question: http://plasticbaglaws.org/the-village-of-hastings-on-hudson-sued-by-grocers-industry-group-over-bag-ban-court-opinion-expected-soon/ 57:11 Citizens Campaign Ex. Director Esposito returns again to discuss the costs of plastic bags versus other bags i.e. paper 58:58 Clerk Seal reads into the record a letter of opposition from the owner of Bravo supermarket Patchogue Village based business In hour, minutes and seconds 1:00:50 Mayor Pontieri speaks on his own personal use of re-usable shopping bags 1:01:18 Trustee Keyes introduces next set of presenters: representatives from the Town of Southampton Sustainability Committee, Dieter von Lehsten, with Lynn Arthur who address the practical issues of implementing and enforcing a ban in a locality where such a ban currently exists the Town of Southampton with focus on impact on merchants and educating the public. Note: This section of the three part video ends in mid presentation and is picked up in the second video still to be published. Here is a link to the Southampton Town Green Advisory Sustainability Committee: http://www.southamptontownny.gov/231/Sustainable-Southampton-Green-Advisory-C This video and narrative provided by John Bogack