WANT CLEANER COMMUNITIES AND SMART GROWTH?
Then Pass A New Bottle Bill

Gov. Eliot Spitzer's draft budget features many positive environmental proposals, including a dramatic long-term expansion of the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and other programs that will help create healthier communities, fund open-space protection and underwrite smart-growth initiatives.

Here in the Hudson Valley, these programs will provide powerful tools both for beating back threats to our region's natural beauty and environmental health and for re-energizing our riverfront communities as great places to live, work and have fun.

But there's a catch: the budget states that funding for these valuable proposals must come from an EXPANDED BOTTLE BILL.

Scenic Hudson has joined with Friends of New York Environment in support of a "bigger, better, bottle bill" that will expand the current program to include a 5-cent refundable deposit on bottled water, sports drinks, juice, and other non-carbonated beverages. It also will include provisions to ensure that beverage companies return unredeemed deposits to the state to fund important environmental programs.

In addition to producing much-needed revenue, expanded bottle bills have proven to be highly effective at preventing litter. California, Hawaii and Maine are already enjoying the benefits of an expanded bottle bill. It's time for New York to join them.

Everybody wins if we pass this bill. We can reduce the stream of waste flowing into New York's landfills. We can improve the quality of life in our communities by reducing litter. And we can generate dedicated revenue for the environment by using all unredeemed deposits to fund crucial environmental programs like the EPF.

You can help ensure that this important funding source gets included in the budget: use the link on this page to send letters to your state senator and state assemblyperson urging them to support the "bigger, better bottle bill."

Remember, a personalized letter has the most impact, so please feel free to adapt the text of the sample letter to include some of your own thoughts. The budget negotiations are in full swing, so please send your letters before March 7.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Before asking for your support on a key legislative item, I'd like to mention how much I appreciated last year's passage of increases to the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

UPDATED BOTTLE BILL KEY TO HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS HUDSON RIVER VALLEY As a member of Scenic Hudson, I'm asking you to support an updated Bottle Bill. I support an expanded Bottle Bill because it will help create healthier communities -- and as outlined in Gov. Eliot Spitzer's budget, will also fund open-space protection and underwrite smart-growth initiatives.

BOTTLE BILLS HERE AND ELSEWHERE HAVE PROVEN THEIR WORTH Including non-carbonated beverages such as bottled water and Snapple-type drinks in what is already the state's most successful litter and waste reduction program, is the important next step we can all take to promote clean communities and environmental protection. Beverage companies in New York are currently keeping unclaimed deposits from bottles and cans that are not returned. In other states, including Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Hawaii and California, unclaimed bottle deposits go to the state to benefit the public.

It is truly a win-win situation when we can reduce the stream of waste flowing into New York's landfills, improve the quality of life in our communities by reducing litter, and generate dedicated revenue for the environment by returning the unclaimed nickel deposits to the EPF.

Thanks for your leadership on creating an improved Bottle Bill and the powerful environmental gains it will support.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 26, 2007