Int 1591-2019

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. The commissioner of environmental protection, in consultation with the commissioner of sanitation, shall conduct a study to assess the feasibility of constructing a wastewater treatment facility on Rikers Island. The study shall consider population projections and possible alternatives to wastewater treatment and disposal, as well as the minimum and maximum capacity a wastewater treatment facility on Rikers Island should have, how much wastewater might be able to be diverted from other facilities, and the capacity on Rikers Island for the capture of combined sewer overflow. Such study shall also consider the potential for organic waste recycling via composting operations, organics co-digestion, and biosolids reuse. The commissioner shall also assess, in a separate review, the presence of methane on Rikers Island, the potential for the installation of methane recovery systems, and the use of such systems by any such wastewater treatment facility. Such methane assessment should consider the return on investment of municipally built and operated methane recovery systems, the potential for public-private partnerships, and the potential for the use of methane for electricity generation. As part of such feasibility study, and separate methane review, the website of the department of environmental protection and other online means of communication shall be expanded to include interactive content and solicit public comment. The Rikers Island advisory committee established pursuant to subdivision b of section 4-215 of the administrative code of the city of New York shall make recommendations to the department regarding such feasibility study and separate methane review. Within 36 months after this local law takes effect, the commissioner of environmental protection shall submit a report, including findings and recommendations relating to the feasibility study and the review regarding the presence of methane, to the mayor, the speaker of the council, and the Rikers Island advisory committee, and make such report publicly available on the website of the department of environmental protection. � 2. This local law takes effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed on and after the date that the report due pursuant to section one of this local law has been submitted to the mayor, the speaker of the council and the Rikers Island advisory committee. SS LS # 9532 2/10/21 5:10pm 2 1