FRANKFORT — Legislators next year will have a range of proposals available to tackle Kentucky's solid-waste problem.

        Rep. Greg Stumbo, the Democratic floor leader in the House, promoted his package Tuesday with the help of city and county officials, environmental advocates and others. The plan includes a half-cent fee on bottles and cups, plus an additional fee on garbage taken to landfills.

        The other end of the spectrum could be a proposal from Ernie Harris of Crestwood, the Republican chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, who wants to create county and state councils to rail against litter and dumping. There is no money included in Mr. Harris' proposal except for what might be raised from a voluntary income tax checkoff.

        Natural Resources Secretary James Bickford said, with some notable exceptions, details are not as important as getting something done. “We need a bill this time — bad,” Mr. Bickford said.

        Mr. Stumbo's proposal covers a range of topics, but places few requirements. The money raised by the container tax and the tipping fee — an estimated $30 million annually — would go to clean up dumps and old landfills, finance litter pickup and education programs.

        Counties would get the money, based on a formula of road miles and population, without having to make any effort. If, by 2007, solid-waste pickup did not improve to 85 percent, the state would withhold money.

        The Natural Resources Cabinet estimates 80 percent of trash is properly disposed of now, a figure Mr. Stumbo rejects. The cabinet expects to make its own proposal once the session gets under way on Jan. 8.

        Mr. Stumbo's plan doesn't include mandatory collection of trash from every household, which Mr. Bickford and Gov. Paul Patton have said is crucial to stop the flow of garbage that winds up in illegal dumps and along roadsides.

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