MSW Landfills in Eastern NY (Google Maps)

There are around 25 active municipal waste landfills in our state, all of them located in Upstate New York. Here are some arterial views from Google Maps from the 10 closest active municpal solid waste landfills to Albany, NY. Feel free to zoom out to see surrounding landforms, notice developments, farm lands, and other things impacted by these trash dumping sites.

1) Albany City / Rapp Road Landfill.

Located in the Albany Pine Bush, a globally unique Pine Bush ecosystem, it is undergoing an expansion that will condemn 15 acres of this rare habitat. With no more land to expand on without expanding into high-quality Pine Bush, it’s likely to close in a couple of years.

2) Colonie Landfill.

Located on the Mohawk River, it is located north of the town near several smaller subdivisions and some of the suburban towns remaining farms. It recently was expanded, and there is concerns about pollution to neighbors and the nearby Mohawk River. Neighbors have claimed to have wells contaminated, and are concerned about impact on the river. Litter is a real problem.

3) Fulton County Landfill.

This landfill was expanded in 2004, and as of 2008 is at about 60% of capacity. It serves Fulton County (owner), and also the MOSA communities (Montegomery-Otsego-Amsterdam-Schoharie) and downstate sources.

4) Sullivan County Landfill.

The Sullivan County Landfill is located in Monticello, and the county has decided to close it rather then expanding it, as operations have proven not to be cost effective.

5) Madison County Landfill.

This landfill is undergoing a permitting process for a 600-acre expansion, that should it be limited solely to county trash would last them about 500 years.

6) Clinton County Landfill.

Located about a 1/8th of a mile, in the bend of the Saranac River, about 5 miles west of Plattsburgh, it takes trash from the North Country and far beyond at a low rate to make the county money. It was privatized about a decade ago.

7) Franklin County Landfill.

This landfill near the Candian Border in the Town of Constable, Franklin County, is in the permitting process for a massive expansion, so the county can import more garbage and make more revenue off it.

8) Chenago County Landfill.

A relatively small county landfill serving the trash disposal needs of Chenago County. It is located near East Pharsalia, about twenty miles from Norwich. It has suffered from low revenues in recent months.

9) Ava Landfill.

Located near Boonsville / Town of Ava, this is the state’s newest landfill, providing 62-years of theoretical capacity for the Oneida-Herkimer communities. Permits for the landfill where granted about three years ago, and that’s why it’s not seen yet on this former farm field. It has been subject to significant controversy.

10) Broome County Landfill.

This mid-size county landfill serves Binghamton and surrounding towns, and imports trash from New York City. It is undergoing another expansion.

Shitty Toilet Paper

Notes on the Re-Run for Sunday, August 7th.

Please use care when disposing of your human waste. Use an outhouse when possible, always do your business 150 feet or more away from water. Don’t bury toilet paper, bag it and burn in the next campfire instead. Keep our forests clean!

— Andy

One of the things that strikes me as a problem in the great outdoors is how people don’t know to take care of their personal waste, particularly their shitty toilet paper and dirty tissues.

There are people who wouldn’t think of littering a candy bar wrappers, tossing a glass beer bottle over the side of a mountain, or dumping the remains of roofing project in the woods, are quite happy tossing tissues along the side of the trail, or leaving used toilet paper blowing in the wind.

The worst is when you find it nearby water or maybe nearby some place where you might want to camp. I don’t want my water messed up with giardia or beaver fever. It’s just disgusting, because it’s clear evidence of water contamination.

Shitty toilet paper….
just plain disgusts me to no end.

Yet, there is an alternative. Do not shit near water, trails, or campsites. This will keep your butt from showing and protect our water supply. And just make sure to pack out and / or burn any toilet paper you use. Bring a plastic bag, toss your paper after using in there, and seal it up.

Fire

If you have a hot campfire, toss the bag of shitty toilet paper in there and let it burn. As long as the fire is hot, it won’t smell and will be gone instantly. The thing is you don’t want to leave toilet paper around, for the next person to find, when some animal has dug it up and dragged it out along the trail.

Alternatively, use leaves. They aren’t as great as toilet paper for wiping things up, but if you don’t want to take your toilet paper home with you or burn it, do the right thing, and just use leaves and bury them far from the trail.

Drives Leaves

Do us all a favor. Don’t leave used toilet paper or tissues as a present for all to run into in the woods.

Joesph Davis State Park

Joesph Davis State Park was one of the series of parks built in Niagara County during the 1950s when the county under went major changes, as the Fort Niagara Military base was turned over to state hands and then turned into the Robert Moses Parkway, and a series of parks. On weekends in the summer, there is a fee to park a car in the picnic area, and hunting is allowed in season.

Path

Sadly, most of this area was not well maintained or even well developed. The land is flat, but it is still interesting with a series of small ponds and trails that wind through it.

Tree

There was all kinds of wildlife through out the area, including this nice looking buck.

Buck

This pond was pretty.

Pond

As the evening approached, the sky darkened over the east, but sunrays lit up the foreground.

Dark Sky

Here is a map of the hike.


View Hikes of 2009 in a larger map

Growing Up in the Shadow of Mountains

There are relatively few people who can say that they grew up in the shadow of the mountains. The mountains loomed large over the town I grew up, showing their large footprint as the rose out of the land just south of the town where I went to Elementary and High School.

Mountains

While I lived most of my first 25-years of my life on my parents eight-acres, playing in the woods and in the creek, I went to school in Greenville, which is about 15 miles from the northern-most range of the Catskills. Those mountains loom large over the town as one proceeds south on the two-lane NY Route 32. At times, they look as though they must almost reach up to the sky, as high exists in the world.

They are an impressive feature. A routine feature to anybody who lives out by Greenville and sees them everyday, but still one that leaves a lasting impression on oneself. When I was younger I might have hiked the mountains a few times, but I never spent an extended period up there. I certainly could not have identified every peak from memory or been able to look up and know what it look likes on down. Today I can.

Catskills from Route 2

When I was younger I probably should have asked more questions and respected those mountains more. I should have paid more attention, and spent more time hiking them. Yet I didn’t. Regardless, those mountains, constantly hanging over the Greenville skyline had a persist ant impact on my life.

Dead Frog

I have no idea what killed it, but it looks like something attacked it like a cat, then left it's carcass to rot along the trail.

Taken on Sunday September 20, 2009 at John Boyd Thacher State Park.