Upper East Siders Boo Quinn Over Trash Plan

“Don’t expect us to vote for you!”

“That’s fine,” Quinn snapped.

Meanwhile, City Council Comptroller John Liu, who has previously supported the plan, flipped his position at the forum because of Hurricane Sandy-related issues.

“It doesn’t make sense to proceed while turning a blind eye to that simple fact,” he said.

Former City Comptroller Bill Thompson and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who voted in favor of the 2006 plan, said concerns over flooding left them both on the fence, and said they both planned to visit the site.

At a forum on the Upper East Side, Christine Quinn reiterated her support for an equitable solid waste plan – one that will greatly lessen the burden on neighborhoods like Greenpoint and East Williamsburg by distributing residential waste handling throughout the city. Upper East Siders don’t like it because it means a marine transfer station on their waterfront near Asphalt Green.

Quinn stood her ground (the plan also puts a marine transfer recycling plant in her district), while John Liu has dropped his support. Thompson and de Blasio used to support the plan, but now want to visit the proposed marine transfer site. Because they have that much expertise.

Meanwhile, Greenpoint’s new Congresswoman, Carolyn Maloney, sponsored the forum. It would be interesting to hear what she thinks about the issue, affecting as it does both ends of her district.

UPDATE: Azi Paybarah a Capital NY has a much more in-depth article (which implies that de Blasio is not on the fence, but has already flipped – though at least he recognizes that the facility needs to be sited in Manhattan).