OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY

ALBANY COUNTY LEGISLATURE

HAROLD L. JOYCE OFFICE BUILDING
112 STATE STREET, ROOM 700
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12207
(518) 447-7117 FAX: (518) 447-5695

FRANK J. COMMISSO, Majority Leader

F. PATRICK JEFFERS, Majority Counsel

ALBANY, SARATOGA COUNTIES EXPLORING

JOINT WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY
ALBANY (May 18, 2017) The Albany County Legislature will examine the potential of developing a
shared organic waste digester facility with Saratoga County that would treat organic material and sewer
sludge from water treatment plants, vastly reducing the need to incinerate, truck and landfill the
material, Majority Leader Frank Commisso announced this week.

The Albany County Legislature will vote next month to enter into a municipal agreement with Saratoga
County to study establishing a Regional Anaerobic Digestion facility at Albany Countys wastewater
treatment plant in Menands. The facility would process food waste and sludge material from Albany
Countys two wastewater treatment plants and Saratoga Countys water treatment plant in
Mechanicville, and turn it into energy to power and heat the Menands facility.

This is an important regional project that could be a huge win for Albany and Saratoga counties,
economically and environmentally, Majority Leader Commisso said. The two counties will share in the
costs of the study, as well as construction, operation and maintenance of the digester, he said.

Presently, Albany County incinerates its sludge and disposes the ash in the City of Albany Landfill, while
Saratoga County hauls its leftover waste outside the region. A Regional Anaerobic Digestion facility could
generate cost savings, practically eliminate the incineration process and save space at landfills at a time
when the governor is stressing shared services and removing organics from landfills, Commisso said.

The Albany County Water Purification District voted Wednesday to hire Arcadis of Clifton Park to produce
a feasibility study for the shared facility. The study would be funded by a $50,000 grant from the New
York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and $25,000 from each county. The full Albany
County Legislature will vote to do the study on June 12. Albany County officials last year evaluated
installing an Anaerobic Digester facility at its Albany and Menands water treatment plants and
determined the project would provide an acceptable return if it was co-developed at the Menands facility.

Sewer district commissioners from Albany and Saratoga counties awarded Arcadis the job after
requesting public proposals. The study would evaluate existing infrastructure and data at the three
treatment plants, identify design criteria and funding sources, and help prepare a master plan and
project schedule.
DENNIS.YUSKO@ALBANYCOUNTYNY.GOV
PHONE: (518) 447-5527 office, (518) 330-7544 cell; Twitter: @DemMajority