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New Transparency Website from the ComptrollerON LINE VOTER REGISTRATION DEBATENew York's Optical Scan Machines Do Not Return Overvotes to Voter for CorrectionSUPREME COURT DECISION REGARDING CAMPAIGN FINANCING BY CORPORATIONSGOVERNMENT ETHICS REFORMREDISTRICTINGLeague is aggressive on recycling.Era of Transparencynew York's Optical Scan Machines Do Not Return Overvotes to Voter for CorrectionLeague enables mass recyclying.


NEW!!!! Check it out!!

New Yorkers should know where their tax dollars are going. Open Book New York is part of State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's effort to promote more openness in government and give taxpayers better access to the financial workings of government.

This is a user friendly website that will help you track where the tax dollars are going..; The financial workings of the state.

http://www.openbookny.com/

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ON LINE VOTER REGISTRATION DEBATE

ON LINE VOTER REGISTRATION DEBATE

taken from Government Watch in a recent article in Parade Magazine

A new bill before Congress would make registering to vote as simple as clicking a mouse. The Voter Registration Modernization Act would require all states to allow voters to register on line by 2012. Since Arizona pioneered online registration, states, including Washington, Louisiana, and Utah have signed on. New York, New Jersey and Michigan are considering similar bills.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D., Calif.), who introduced the federal bill, calls online registration "a common sense approach" that would mean new convenience for would-be-voters. But critics worry that elections could be easily manipulated.

Helen Purcell, an election official in Maricopa County, Ariz. says her state's program protects against fraud by verifying registration through drivers' licenses or state identification data. "obviously, people like the convenience," Purcell adds, noting that 69% of 2008 voter registrations were conducted online.

But Hans A. von Spakovsky, a former member of the Federal Election Commission and now a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, contends that online voter registration may open the door for deception. "If somebody registers online and then votes by absentee ballot, no one has ever seen that voter. No one knows if he or she exists."

Allison Fine a senior fellow with the Demos, a nonprofit public-advocacy group, says online registration appeals to the internet generation and concerns about fraud are overblown: "I don't see why showing up in person is necessary. If banking can be made secure online, why can't voter registration?"

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New York's Optical Scan Machines Do Not Return Overvotes to Voter for Correction

February 3, 2010 New York State Board of Elections 40 Steuben Street Albany, NY 12207-2108

Dear Commissioners:

New York's new optical scan machines will treat overvotes in a way that threatens the voting rights of millions of New Yorkers. As you know, unlike most optical scan systems, the ES&S DS200 and ImageCast machines purchased for New York do not automatically return overvoted or otherwise erroneous ballots to the voter for correction.

Instead, the machines will keep the ballot but give the voter the opportunity to either cast the ballot with the overvote error, thereby invalidating the intended vote cast in that contest, or request the ballot back to make a correction by sending a message on a small screen on the ES&S DS200 and ImageCast machine. Having the machine retain the ballot and provide voters with this confusing and inadequate notice will only ensure that votes are unnecessarily lost, which is the exact problem the Help America Vote Act ("HAVA") was designed to prevent. It is our conclusion that the interface and message provided to New York's voters on the small screen of the ES&S DS200 and ImageCast machines is inadequate to provide the notice of overvote error as contemplated by HAVA.

A recent study out of Florida (http://www.ffec.org/documents/Invalid_Vote_Report_Revised _23June2009.pdf) leaves us extremely concerned that this system will lead to unnecessarily high overvote rates. The study shows that voters who used the ES&S DS200 (the only system in Florida which did not automatically return overvoted ballots to voters) had an overvote rate on Election Day 2008 that was eighteen times higher than that of the systems used in other Florida counties. If New York has an overvote rate that is as high as those Florida counties that used the DS200, as many as 40,000 votes would be lost for the top of the ticket contest in a major election year.

Unfortunately, there is reason to believe that New York will have an overvote rate that is even higher than the overvote rates in Florida. Specifically, (1) voters in New York have used lever machines which contained interlock systems that prevented overvotes for decades; (2) New York allows fusion voting, which results in the repetition of a candidate's name by all endorsing parties and can result in a confusing ballot prone to overvotes; (3) the statutory requirements for the design of paper ballots makes them far less usable than paper ballots used in other states (such as Florida); and (4) there are frequent contests where voters are entitled to choose multiple candidates in the same contest.

These New York specific circumstances create a voting process more prone to overvotes. Overvotes are almost always mistakes and the letter and spirit of the HAVA requires that the state do everything it can to prevent inadvertent errors when voters cast their ballot on Election Day.

We strongly urge the Board of Elections to correct this problem immediately. The New York Board of Elections must require that the ES&S DS200 and Image Cast machines automatically return overvoted or otherwise erroneous ballots to the voter for correction.

The failure to automatically return overvoted ballots is so significant that the State of Wisconsin recently conditioned its purchase of the ES&S DS200 on a guarantee from the company that the machine be reconfigured to immediately return a ballot to the voter if it detects an overvote. New York must make the same demand for its machines, and refuse the purchase of any machine that cannot meet this demand.

We also urge the board to conduct usability testing to minimize overvotes. We understand from Commissioner Kellner that the Board may not conduct such testing, even though we believe it could be conducted at little or no cost.1 We look forward to working with the Board of Elections on this issue.

Sincerely, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law Center for Independence of the Disabled NY Citizen's Union of the City of New York Common Cause/NY League of Women Voters of New York State NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund New York Public Interest Research Group New Yorkers for Verified Voting Women's City Club of New York Cc: Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, Chair, Subcommittee on Election Day Operations Assemblywoman Joan Millman, Chair, Election Law Committee Senator Joseph Addabbo, Chair, Elections Committee Andrew Stengel, Senior Adviser for Government Reform New York City Board of Elections New York City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, Chair, Committee on Governmental Operations

1 We also understand that the Board has already spent approximately $750,000 usability testing; if any of this usability testing related to overvoting, we would very much like to see the results.

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SUPREME COURT DECISION REGARDING CAMPAIGN FINANCING BY CORPORATIONS

For more information contact New York State League of Women Voters at http://www.lwvny.org/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kelly Ceballos January 21, 2010 202-263-1331 CITIZENS UNITED DECISION SETS OFF REVOLUTION IN CAMPAIGN FINANCE Supreme Court Erred, Decision Undermines Basic Pillar of American Democracy Washington, DC +

The following is a statement by Mary G. Wilson, national president of the League of Women Voters on the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC. The League filed an amicus brief in this case:

"The Supreme Court has made a tragic mistake. Their decision announced today in Citizens United v. FEC is constitutionally irresponsible and will surely bring about an anti-democratic revolution in how we finance elections in this country. Today, basic pillars of American democracy have been undermined + that elections should not be corrupted by vast corporate wealth and that the voters should be at the center of our democratic system.


"Justice Stevens had it right when he said, in his dissent, `The Court's ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution.'

"In creating a new constitutional right for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of their shareholder's money to determine the outcome in candidate elections, the Court has unleashed into our elections tremendous sums of money from for-profit corporations that cannot possibly be matched in quantity by contributions from ordinary citizens. The only possible outcome of this is that big money and special interests will have an even tighter grip on our democracy.

"Congress and the President enacted campaign finance laws over a series of decades for a reason + to protect our democracy from the perverse influence of big money in our elections. In making this decision, the Court has ignored the best interests of the American public and our representative form of government."

Reporters wishing to speak with Ms. Wilson should contact Kelly Ceballos at kceballos@lwv.org or 202-263-1331.

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Become a fan of the League on Facebook.

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GOVERNMENT ETHICS REFORM

For more information contact New York State League of Women Voters at http://www.lwvny.org/

CITIZENS UNION OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK 299 Broadway, Suite 700 ■ New York, NY 10007 ■ 212 227-0342 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS/N.Y.S. 62 Grand Street ■ Albany, NY 12207 ■ 518 465-4162 NEW YORK PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP 107 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor ■ Albany, NY 12210 ■ 518 436-0876 January 22, 2010 Mr. Peter Kiernan, Esq. Counsel to the Governor Executive Chamber Albany, NY 12224 Re: Recommend approval of S.6457/A.9544. Dear Mr. Kiernan:

We write to urge that the Governor approve Senate bill 6457/Assembly bill 9544, which would improve ethics disclosures and oversight in New York State. Our groups have offered different responses to the current failures of ethics oversight in New York State. Like the Governor, we preferred the creation of a single, independent oversight entity with the power to oversee government officials in the executive and legislative branches, lobbyists, and contributors to and candidates for public office. We would have also preferred more independence in campaign finance enforcement as well as significantly enhanced disclosure requirements beyond what are in this bill.

However, on the whole we believe that this bill deserves the Governor's support, despite its differences with our recommended approach. We believe that the legislative leadership has offered a good-faith effort to meaningfully overhaul ethics oversight and recognizes that there is more work to be done. Moreover, the bill contains critical and needed changes in executive, legislative, lobbying and campaign oversight that we believe merit your support. The major reform areas of the bill are described below.

Critical changes to executive branch ethics

  • The legislation provides that no one elected official chooses a majority of the appointments to the commission. It imposes restrictions on those who can serve on the commission (such as lobbyists) and the executive director a three-year term, with removal only for cause. The legislation grants to the commission the crucial power to randomly review ethics filings to ensure honesty and accuracy.

Critical changes to lobbying oversight

  • The bill "turns back the clock" and essentially restores the structure of the well-regarded lobbying commission that was eliminated in 2007. Unlike the earlier lobbying commission, the legislation grants the executive director a three-year term, with removal for cause only.
  • All state and municipal lobbyists and their clients must report business relationships with state public officials.
  • The legislation also expands the definition of lobbying to include lobbying for resolutions.

Critical changes to legislative branch ethics

  • The legislation would provide the executive director, who currently serves at the pleasure of the commission, with a three-year term, with removal only for cause. Significantly, the commission is granted the power to randomly review filings to ensure honesty and accuracy.
  • The most important change is that the legislation creates an office of legislative ethics investigation. This new entity would have a board that contains no lawmakers and no lobbyists, among other restrictions. In addition, the new office has the powers necessary to fully investigate complaints.

Critical changes to campaign finance enforcement

  • As proposed in the legislation, the State Board of Elections (SBOE) enforcement counsel and special counsel would have four-year terms with removal only for cause. The enforcement counsel would have power to initiate investigations. The legislation requires a majority vote of the SBOE in order to stop an investigation from going forward. Determination of violation and issuance of penalties would still rest with the Board.
  • Requests for investigation and recommendations for sanctions would be discussed at open meetings of the SBOE. Thus, for the first time, the public would have access to the nature of complaints and their dispositions.

Critical changes to disclosure requirements

  • Currently, public officials are required to disclose the sources of outside income and the value of that income within ranges established in law. However, those dollar-figure ranges are redacted from public view. Under the legislation those dollar-figure ranges would become public and a new range is added from $250,000 to $1,000,000.
  • Those required to report under the lobbying law would now have to report business relationships they may have with public officials. Such relationships are not currently disclosed.
  • Candidates would be required, for the first time, to file disclosure with the State Board of Elections in a uniform format that would be made available to the public on-line.
  • Expenditures by individuals or groups that are independent of the candidate, and thus were not subject to campaign finance disclosure, would now be required to be disclosed in filings that would, for the most part, mirror the disclosure of candidates. Thus, the public will know the names of those who contribute $100 or more to these groups, an important response to the recent US Supreme Court decision. Lastly, by mandating stable funding for each of the entities, the potential for political interference through the budgetary process will be limited. While there is much good in this legislation, we are concerned in particular about legislative ethics oversight. While the investigations arm appears to be structured to be independent, the ultimate authority to sanction violators still rests with the relevant legislative standing committees and the joint legislative ethics commission. While an improvement over the current system, this is a weakness in the proposal.

We Citizens Union of the City of New York/League of Women Voters, N.Y.S./NYPIRG Support S.6457/A.9544, Page 3 also have concerns about the independence of the Board of Elections enforcement unit and whether it will be proactive and willing to pursue evidence of violations regardless of any political consequences. We recognize that this bill does not follow the approach that we have endorsed to ethics oversight and enforcement: it does not create a unified independent ethics system. However, we believe that the legislation overall represents a welcome and needed improvement over the status quo. New York cannot afford the continuation of a fatally flawed ethics oversight system. We believe that this bill represents a substantial step forward on ethics and campaign finance enforcement reform in New York State government and appreciate the hard work and responsiveness of the legislative leadership in developing this plan.

We pledge to aggressively monitor the new law's implementation, including appointments to the commissions and selection of executive directors, and investigations within the Board of Elections. Our groups will judge the results of this legislation and advocate for enhancements as needed and when the law sunsets in four years. We urge that the Governor approve this legislation. Sincerely, Dick Dadey Citizens Union of the City of New York Barbara Bartoletti League of Women Voters/N.Y.S. Blair Horner NYPIRG

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REDISTRICTING

League of Women Voters of New York State 62 Grand Street, Albany, New York 12207-2721 Phone: (518) 465-4162 / Fax: (518) 465-0812 Email: lwvny@lwvny.org / Web site: http://www.lwvny.org Taken from the Legislative Packet of 2009

REDISTRICTING New York State elections are incredibly one-sided. Incumbent state legislative candidates are re-elected at a staggering rate. Over the past 22 years, only 30 incumbents have been beaten in the general elections.

  • Redistricting Decisions Limit Competitiveness. How district lines are drawn has a dramatic effect on the lack of competitive elections. Only 25 of the 212 legislative districts (11 percent) have close enough enrollments that could allow frequent competitive elections.

  • Redistricting decisions play a critical role in having maintained Albany's legislative status quo for decades. In the last 20 years, America has changed. Twenty years ago, the Internet and "hip-hop" music were nowhere to be found. Yet, when it comes to majority party dominance, not much has changed. Since the Democrats took control of the Assembly in the 1970s + and redrew the maps in 1980 + the majority party margins have been incredibly consistent over time. Some states have a non-partisan redistricting system. The state of Iowa, for example, has a nonpartisan system of redistricting that could be followed in New York in time for the 2012 changes. Civil service like technicians make the first draft of the district lines. They are not allowed to consider incumbents' home addresses or to use the party affiliation of voters in considering district lines. The proposed district lines are sent to state lawmakers for approval or disapproval + the legislature is not permitted to amend the proposal. The courts are empowered to step in if there is no agreement. At the heart of the public's discontent is a feeling that state lawmakers rig the system for their own political gain. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the way legislative district lines are drawn. Currently, the new State Senate Democrats and the State Assembly Democrats will be drawing the lines for their respective houses. The only check on this system is whether the Governor chooses to allow this practice to continue or use his veto powers to force changes. We believe that creation of an independent redistricting commission must be a top priority for those interested in reform. Lawmakers should support a Constitutional Amendment to create a nonpartisan Redistricting Commission. Such a Constitutional Amendment takes passage by two separately elected legislatures before it goes to the voters on the ballot. Our advocacy must start now to accomplish a Constitutional Amendment in time for the 2010 census and the drawing of Congressional and Legislative lines in 2011.

Recommendation: Support a Constitutional Amendment to create a nonpartisan redistricting commission to draft the state legislative and Congressional political boundaries for the 2012 elections.
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Kudos to the Plattsburgh area LWV Recycling Committee

Published in the PRESS REPUBLICAN February 17, 2009

The League of Women Voters is compiling an astonishing list of recyclable items to help save our planet.

EDITORIAL: Aggressive on recycling

The local chapter of the League of Women Voters is one of the most valuable organizations in the North Country. The league's members prove it throughout the year with efforts to make government more accessible and more responsive to everyone. They also devise ways, not necessarily tied to government, to make everyone's life better.

One of those ways currently under design is a comprehensive list of what can be recycled, where and how. The breadth of the materials will astound and delight responsible citizens.

Did you know, for instance, that computers are recyclable? You can drop them off at Total Computer Supply & Accessories Inc. on Route 9, Plattsburgh.

Exercise equipment can be recycled. The Plattsburgh YMCA or the Senior Citizens Center will help you see to it.

Pet food and pet supplies will be welcomed at the Adirondack Humane Society.

Medical supplies, such as walkers and wheelchairs, can be reused. The Cerebral Palsy Association of the North Country will accept them if they are in good shape.

There is a future for used sneakers, stereos and even wine corks, to name only a few of the unexpected products.

The League of Women Voters has researched dozens of items and found they can be reused, composted or otherwise recycled.

The league wondered why the Clinton County Landfill accepts only certain items and only certain classifications of some of them. For example, it will take only certain kinds of glass, though those kinds seem to vary by who picks it up, curiously. Yet it found that, in other areas of the state, other types of glass are accepted. Why would the kind of glass that can be sold for recycling be so disparate from one area to another?

So the league asked other areas what they recycle. It found an astonishing array of items that don't have to wind up in a landfill. That, after all, is the goal of the current and future "green" movement -- to help spare our planet from asphyxiation by trash.

You'll be hearing more about this endeavor in the coming weeks or months. All the details have yet to be established. It's an exciting thing to look forward to, though.

If you read this editorial on our Web site -- http://www.pressrepublican.com -- you'll see a PDF file of what the league has compiled so far. The journey is not complete, but there's enough for you to get a sense of the scope of the possibilities that are going to be available.

Companies that run landfills, such as Casella Waste Systems in the North Country, have agreed to participate in the recycling movement because citizens have insisted on it. Recycling may not be lucrative for these companies, but they have been assured it is something their customers demand.

By following the league's lead, you will help ease the terrible burden we're placing on planet Earth.

Good for the league, and good for the North Country.

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Weigh in on the most important issues for the new Administration to focus on. Results displayed at http://www.lwv.org."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2009

Contact: Kelly Ceballos 202-263-1331

LEAGUE HAILS NEW ERA OF TRANSPARENCY Obama Signs Presidential Memos for Government Transparency, Openness

Washington, DC + The League of Women Voters today applauded President Obama's bold steps toward creating a more open and transparent federal government on his first day in office.

"To make a commitment to transparency on day one demonstrates that the Obama Administration is prepared to improve the way Washington works for all Americans," said Mary G. Wilson, League of Women Voters President.

"Given the gravity of the issues facing our nation, the League is encouraged by the administration's strong recognition of the need to increase public access to the governmental decisions and policies that affect all Americans," Wilson stated.

"The two memos that President Obama signed about development of an Open Government Directive and changing the way the federal government interprets the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) are significant first steps," said Wilson. "The League and other good government groups have been calling for just these kinds of actions for several years now."

"The League looks forward to continuing in our long-held tradition of ensuring Americans have access to their elected officials and the policy actions that affect all our lives," Wilson added. "Access to this information allows citizens to hold their government accountable at the local, state and national level."

"Our grassroots membership network is active on the issues of transparency and openness in government," noted Wilson. "We are a partner in Sunshine Week, a national initiative to foster a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. This year Sunshine Week will be March 15-21, 2009 and will feature an impressive list of national and local events," Wilson stated. "The League's Education Fund will also be conducting Freedom of Information (FOI) audits in ten communities this spring as part of our Citizen Initiative for Transparency project to monitor and advocate for open government at all levels."

"Moving forward, we encourage the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress to work together with citizens to create a democracy that is more open and accessible to all. The League is energized and ready to work with the Obama Administration and our elected officials in bringing about a government that is respected and trusted by all," concluded Wilson.

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The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

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new York's Optical Scan Machines Do Not Return Overvotes to Voter for Correction

Published in the PRESS REPUBLICAN May 19, 2008 10:00 pm - We hope the DEC hears substantial opinion in support of a proposed ban on open burning. Various towns have enacted a ban, but enforcement is a problem. Let the state enact a rule and then enforce it.

EDITORIAL: State moving on open burning

The state is proposing changes to rules to control most open burning statewide. The Press-Repubican has written many times that this initiative will help clear the environment, restore free breathing to neighborhoods and save volunteer firefighters aggravation and risk to their health and even lives.

The Department of Environmental Conservation will hold legislative public hearings on these changes. This is the formal title of the initiative: Part 215, Open Fires, Part 191, Forest Fire Prevention and Part 621, Uniform Procedures, pursuant to Environmental Conservation Law, Sections 1-0101, 3-0301, 19-0105, 19-1103, 19-0103, 19-0105, 19-0301, 19-0303, 19-0305, 70-0707, 71-2103 and 71-2105.

Part 215 is being revised to ban most open burning statewide. It is currently banned only in cities and villages and in towns with populations greater than 20,000.

In addition, the revised rule will limit agricultural burning to naturally grown products, such as vines, branches, leaves and stubble. It will also specifically allow certain exceptions: fire training, small cooking and campfires, and ceremonial fires, such as for the proper disposal of an American flag.

The only hearing in our region will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at the Harrietstown Town Hall, Main Street and Lake Flower Avenue, in Saranac Lake. It is accessible to the handicapped.

The Department invites all persons, organizations, corporations and government agencies that may be affected by the proposed revisions to attend the hearings. We encourage the many people who have a stake in this vital rule to attend and be heard. Anyone may address the hearing, but DEC asks that oral statements also be submitted in writing. The Department says it will give equal weight to written and oral statements.

Information may be obtained from Robert Stanton at the DEC's Division of Air Resources, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-3254. He can be reached by phone at 518 402-8403; or by e-mail: 215fires@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Written statements may be submitted until 5 p.m., July 10, 2008.

A copy of the proposed regulation may be obtained from any DEC office. In our area, Region 5, the address of headquarters is 232 Golf Course Road, P.O. Box 220, Warrensburg, NY 12885, Attention: James Coutant.

This is a burning issue in both senses of the term. We have emphasized many times the extreme discomfort to which neighbors and passers-by are exposed by open burning. We've been told of people with respiratory diseases whose lives are actually threatened by it. Toxic materials are introduced into the atmosphere, in addition to the agonizing effects of the choking smoke, itself.

It's time for action, and attending the DEC hearing or submitting written statements is a critical first step.

We hope the DEC hears substantial opinion in support of the proposed ban. Various towns have enacted a ban, but enforcement is a problem.

Let the state enact a rule and then enforce it.

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League enables mass recyclying

PRESS REPUBLICAN EDITORIAL Published November 25, 2009 09:52 pm - The League of Women Voters has compiled an expansive list of where people can get a vast array of materials recycled or reused instead of throwing them away.

EDITORIAL: League enables mass recycling

The Plattsburgh Area League of Women Voters, with help from Casella Waste Systems, has completed a project more than a year in the process: It has compiled an expansive list of where people can get a vast array of materials recycled or reused instead of throwing them away.

What a valuable service the league has thus performed for all of us.

The league was provoked to action because of the obvious disparity in how things are recycled, both locally in the North Country and statewide. Some haulers in the North Country will separate out certain materials for recycling, but others separate out other, different materials. Some materials cannot be recycled hereabouts, though they are recycled in other parts of the state. The league questioned why that was true and decided to not only define what can be recycled but to help people who resist putting items into the landfill find venues for reuse.

The result is a list of well more than 100 sites where scores of items -- from appliances to yogurt containers -- can be turned in for reuse or recycling.

Casella runs landfill operations in Clinton and Franklin counties. It has been an eager partner with its host counties since it first took over their landfills, always responsive to the desires of local people to recycle rather than just putting everything into the ground. Even when recycling doesn't net much money for anybody -- that market varies from time to time and from material to material -- Casella has understood and appreciated the wisdom of sparing the Earth as much abuse as possible.

Casella has printed the league's recycling pamphlet, called Think Green!, and the league is now trying to get it distributed to as many people and places as possible so it will do the most good.

If you go to the Press-Republican's Web site -- pressrepublican.com -- you'll find a complete list of items and places where they can be turned in, as well as a complete list of Clinton County convenience drop-off sites for trash and recyclable materials.

This takes in much more than the conventional paper, cardboard, plastics and metal. Medical supplies, ink and toner, movies and tapes, toys, tires, wine corks, glasses, hearing aids and fluorescent light bulbs, batteries are only a few of the items listed in the pamphlet. Just consider the immense amount of damage to the ground that would be averted if everybody did all they could to keep these types of materials circulating, rather than being buried.

The league's message via the pamphlet is: "Recycle; reuse; donate; don't take it to the landfill. Give it to people who can use it."

Many people went to a lot of trouble to get this information assembled and distributed. Heed its message and join in the Earth-saving effort.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: May 19, 2010 04:57 PDT.

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