The move could signal a policy shift at the Department of Sanitation. Until now, the Department's plans involved a mix of controversial plans to truck some trash out of town and construct new transfer stations, including one in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The marine transfer stations are closer to where the city's garbage is produced - three are in Manhattan, three in Brooklyn, and one in Queens. Another is in the Bronx, but is decrepit. Hauling trash to those sites could cut down on garbage truck traffic in the city, but the transfer stations would still need to be effectively linked to long-range export facilities. These could be ocean-going barges that operate from expanded marine transfer stations, or an intermodal facility able to handle barges and freight trains, like that proposed for Port Ivory in Staten Island.

Farrell's plan was endorsed by several Staten Island officials, including Borough President Guy Molinari, Congressman Vito Fossella and Assemblyman Eric Vitaliano.