At the contract and supply meeting at Albany city hall Monday, the Albany Rapp Road landfill received approval to insert approximately 100,00 plug plants into the landfill area as part of the landfill’s restoration project. These plants, along with the emergency repair of a slope on a sand stockpile, will justify adding another $131,228 to an ongoing landfill project.

The city landfill is expanding to meet the waste needs in the Capital Region.

“This is a change order to increase the original contract,” said Regina Goodbee, deputy city clerk. “As things occur, they need to increase the original contract as seen fit.”

Plant plugs are plants that are grown and designed to be inserted into the ground. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, aside from the obvious visual appeal that these plants give, the use of natural vegetation has many benefits when compared to a turf cover, which is something that is also used. The plants plugs should stabilize the soil, release more carbon dioxide, increase erosion control, and an improve living habitat for wildlife.

According to Joe Giebelhaus, the solid waste manager for the landfill on Rapp Road, plant plugs for the Albany Rapp Road landfill will be provided by the Rifenburg Contracting Corporation. The plants used are native to the area.

Giebelhaus noted at the meeting that planting program had always been a part of the restoration plan, but was not originally included in the contract because the project lacked the necessary funding. Now that the project has the funding, the additions of the plantings can take place, but do not require the dates of the contract to be altered in any way. -30-