Data and maps
Data & maps

Data that makes pilots real

Use these snapshots, maps, and briefs to choose sites and write grants. We favor decision-grade truth over perfect data.

Propose a pilot site Policy & funding Library & Downloads
Start here

Pick the next action. Then go deeper.

5Planning datasets on this page
10Counties mapped
2Source reports behind the data
2015NYS DEC biosolids baseline

Maps hub

Planning layers for siting and logistics.

Explore the maps hub →

The Atlas

Toggle every feedstock and infrastructure layer, interactively.

Open the Atlas →

Biosolids snapshots

All ten county briefs and flow figures in one gallery.

Browse the snapshots →

EJ references

Environmental-justice flags for siting and community trust.

Check EJ references →
Regional context

Regional context map with assessment overlays

See the recommendations & next steps →

Hudson Valley regional context map overlaid with assessment areas
Regional context map courtesy of the previous assessment – pair these overlays with the biosolids snapshots below to see how counties stack up.

How to use it

  • Use biosolids snapshots to compare routes before partners commit.
  • Use EJ references early to avoid harm and plan benefits.
  • Bring this map to siting meetings to align on boundaries fast.
  • Drop these facts into grant drafts to show why the pilot fits.

This regional context keeps every pilot grounded in documented conditions and equity guardrails.

Open biosolids briefs View recommendations & next steps

Decision-grade (not perfect)

We prefer data that improves choices quickly over data that’s “complete” but unusable.

  • Directional volumes & flows
  • Constraints & bottlenecks
  • Credible sources & citations

Local reality

County-by-county views matter because infrastructure is local: routing, siting, and politics.

  • County snapshots
  • Regional flow logic
  • Site archetypes

Legitimacy and EJ

EJ is a design constraint. Data supports better questions, earlier, with the community.

  • Burden/benefit framing
  • Permitting awareness
  • Stakeholder trust

What this is

  • A launchpad for planning artifacts.
  • Directional snapshots that speed up decisions.
  • Links to sources you can cite.

What this is not

  • A live database of current operations.
  • A substitute for operator verification.
  • A final engineering design.
Map of excess food waste generators across the Hudson Valley

Maps & Atlas

Visual planning layers across the Hudson Valley paired with the Atlas map so you can orient pilots, partners, and funders.

Open maps hub Open atlas map

Jump to a layer

County biosolids flow snapshots

Quick reference images from reports/county-biosolid-flows. Use these as directional context. Confirm details with operators before you lock a plan.

7,348Tons landfilled in 2015
16%of all regional biosolids
10Counties in the survey
46%from Orange + Dutchess alone

Where the region’s landfilled biosolids came from — 2015

Tons of biosolids sent to landfill by county of origin. Source: NYS DEC Biosolids (Sewage Sludge) Management Survey, 2015.

Orange1,724
Dutchess1,662
Ulster1,139
Rockland1,044
Delaware785
Sullivan360
Columbia267
Westchester188
Greene181
Putnam0
Orange & Dutchess — 46% of the regional total Other counties

Reading the data: In 2015 the region trucked 7,348 tons of biosolids to landfills as far away as Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Virginia — roughly 16% of what it produced, all of it hauled long distances. Orange and Dutchess counties alone sent 46%, which is exactly where local anaerobic digestion would divert the most material soonest. The county snapshots below break each stream down in full.

County briefs (interpretation)

Tap the "Read brief" button to open the accompanying interpretation before reviewing the snapshots, then use "View image" to open the gallery-sized figure without leaving the page.

Landfilled biosolids, 2015
Flagship landfilled biosolids snapshot, 2015.

Landfilled (All)

Biosolids, 2015

Read brief

The flagship narrative frames cost, emissions, control, and legitimacy as one problem statement — see why this matters and what pilots can do.

Westchester County biosolids, 2015

Westchester

Biosolids, 2015

Read brief
Open full biosolids gallery
Water chestnut mat slump on the water surface
Water chestnut harvests mirror the invasive species intent (NYSDEC image).
Invasive species feedstocks

Turn removal into reuse

The Feedstocks report introduces anaerobic digestion as a pathway for handling invasive aquatic and wetland plants. The new brief shows how harvested biomass can be staged, permitted, and blended for digestion.

  • Spotlights water chestnut, hydrilla, and phragmites as digestible biomass once removed from regulated waters.
  • Highlights permitting triggers and data gaps so pilots can plan logistics without spreading fragments.
  • Lists HVB next steps that connect harvest volumes, contamination risk, and digestate reuse to real pilots.
Read the brief Feedstocks report

Composting infrastructure (CWMI)

The Cornell Waste Management Institute map catalogs compost, digestion, and permitted organics sites across New York State; use it as a strategic baseline while packaging circular feedstock plans.

CWMI New York State compost facilities map
CWMI New York compost facilities map.

Why this map matters

Cornell Waste Management Institute keeps the inventory fresh with permit notes, service-area context, and prioritized updates so you can trust its baseline signal.

  • Identifies compost, anaerobic digestion, and permitted organics processors statewide with operator, permit, and contact metadata.
  • Interactive filters spotlight compost type, shipment direction, and permit status so you can focus on the asset class your pilot needs.
  • Submit updates to capture new projects, capacity shifts, or service-area clarifications that affect haul planning.
Read the brief
Cornell interactive map Update or add a facility

Environmental justice references

Reference PDFs in reports/environmental-justics-map. These inform early siting and stakeholder conversations.

What we use EJ references for

  • Spot communities that already carry heavy burdens.
  • Plan benefits and mitigations early.
  • Anticipate permits and public meetings.
  • Decide if a site is a non-starter.

Quick links (PDF)

Full list lives in the folder; this page highlights common starting points.

If a pilot touches an EJ community, write the benefits, the engagement plan, and the red lines. No surprises.

FAQ

Skeptical questions are healthy. Here are ours.

Is this the “latest” data?

Some snapshots are historical (e.g., 2015 images). HVB treats them as directional and pairs them with current stakeholder input during pilot packaging.

Can these images be reused in presentations?

Yes—these are here to be used in workshops and grant packaging. When possible, cite HVB and the source report.

Where are the raw spreadsheets?

As the initiative matures, we can publish structured datasets. For now, HVB prioritizes decision-grade artifacts that accelerate pilots.

Use the data to move a pilot

The goal isn’t to admire the map. It’s to design a project that’s feasible, fundable, and legitimate.

Propose a pilot site Choose a partner lane

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