Albany Watch

A key Senate Democrat is backing the expansion of the bottle bill, which most likely means that before the summer New Yorkers will be paying deposits on water and juice cans and bottles as well as beer and soda. “I’m supportive of it,’’ said new Environmental Conservation Committee chairman Antonie Thompson, D-Buffalo. “This is a step we need to take.’’ Expanding the 27-year-old bottle bill that covers just beer and soda has been blocked for the last few years by the Senate Republicans, who lost their majority last November. Passing the bottle-bill expansion could be the first significant policy shift caused by the flip in control of the Senate to the Democrats.  Print This Post |  Email This Post