Opponents of the expansion of the Seneca Meadows Landfill gathered in Albany yesterday for a rally calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to deny a permit for the expansion. The group, Seneca Lake Guardian, held an event with state lawmakers.
“We want the Finger Lakes to be known for tourism, for great wine, for beautiful scenery, for an incredibly high quality of life,” said State Senator Rachel May. “We don’t want to be known as the garbage capital of the state.”
The owners of Seneca Meadows landfill, Waste Connections, applied with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, seeking to keep the dump operational through 2040.
I was happy to join @seneca_lake to speak out against extending the permit for the Seneca Meadows landfill. The Finger Lakes should not be known as NY's garbage capital. That beautiful region contributes so much to our economy, natural resources, recreation, and quality of life. pic.twitter.com/lSQqHuNI56
— Senator Rachel May (@RachelMayNY) January 22, 2024
Thank you to @AMKelles @RachelMayNY @SenLeahWeb @FWWNewYork @RJamesHayes @SierraClubAC AM Otis @CleanAndHealthy and more – together, we will make a cleaner NY! pic.twitter.com/jZggwBF52h
— Seneca Lake Guardian (@seneca_lake) January 22, 2024
Many thanks to @AMKelles for the support! https://t.co/LqRs5DhJwv
— Seneca Lake Guardian (@seneca_lake) January 22, 2024
In a statement, the DEC wrote:
“DEC takes seriously our responsibility to oversee solid waste management facilities in the state and works transparently with communities every step of our review processes. While a final decision on the expansion of the Seneca Meadows Valley Infill has not been made, DEC is focused on overseeing development of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for this site and received approximately 600 comments on the draft scope of the EIS. Once finalized, this will guide development of the DEIS and will provide additional opportunities for public comment and engagement before any decisions are made.
In the meantime, DEC will continue our aggressive oversight of this facility and continues to subject every application to a rigorous review of all applicable federal and state standards to ensure its decision is protective of public health and the environment, upholds environmental justice and fairness, and meets applicable standards, including those related to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.”
