Categories
Local Journalism Project

Tina Traster v. Rockland County Solid Waste Management Authority

On behalf of client Rockland County Business Journal and its editor, Tina Traster, the Clinic filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) lawsuit against the Rockland County Solid Waste Management Authority. Traster seeks records related to a controversial contract that the Authority awarded. After first imposing a lengthy delay and then attempting to charge an exorbitant fee, the Authority produced many highly redacted documents and entirely withheld others. The Clinic’s lawsuit seeks all responsive documents and argues that FOIL’s exemptions do not permit the Authority’s extensive withholdings.

On July 9, 2026, the Court ruled in favor of the Clinic’s client and ordered the records released within 30 days, with any continued redaction requiring a particularized, fact-specific justification submitted for the Court’s in camera review. Finding the Authority had no reasonable basis for denying the request, the court also granted Traster’s application for attorney’s fees and litigation costs, with the amount to be determined once production is complete.