Cayuga County wants to see New York’s largest landfill closed in 2025.
At its Tuesday meeting, the Cayuga County Legislature voted to approve a resolution supporting the closure of Seneca Meadows, Inc in Seneca County and opposing its expansion.
The resolution also seeks to have the county named an interested party in the potential expansion, allowing county residents an enhanced public participation in any expansion proposals.
Speaking before the vote, Legislator Heidi Nightengale, who authored the resolution, said that it was important for the county to go on record and be good neighbors to other Fingerlakes communities by supporting the environmentally conscious decision.
“I ran on environmental issues, and I have grandneices and nephews in the Fingerlakes and I don’t want to pass this problem on to them. Tonight, I have an opportunity to go record that I am going to protect them and the Fingerlakes, all of it, my neighbors, and this area directly, our county.”
Legislature Chair Johnathan Anna admitted before the vote that, while he was originally on the fence about the resolution, a look into statistics at Seneca Meadows tipped the scales for him.
“I was astonished to learn that 25% of the trash at Seneca Meadows landfill comes from New York City. It’s not even local trash; they’re shipping it, and the Fingerlakes is not New York City’s trashcan, and so I will support this measure this evening.”
Legislators Ben Vitale, Tom Winslow, Robert Shea, Heidi Nightengale, Elan Daly, Brian Muldrow, and Johnathan Anna all voted in support of the resolution, while legislators Hans Petcher and Mark Strong voted against it. Legislator Aileen McNabb-Coleman abstained, and Legislator Stephanie DeVito was excused.
In their opposition to the resolution, both Legislators Hans Petcher and Mark Strong cited a lack of a plan for what to do with county trash following the landfill’s closure as their reasons for being against it.
“This resolution doesn’t solve any problems. We’re not ready as a county government to take on waste disposal and be responsible for waste disposal in Cayuga County,” said Petcher.
The resolution states, “the impacts of the Landfill expansion reach beyond the immediate location, and are incompatible with the health and community character of the Finger Lakes region.” Cited impacts include heavy truck traffic on local roadways, noxious odors, hazardous air pollution, and the production of PFAs and other toxins.
The resolution also mentioned US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s efforts to designate the Fingerlakes region as a National Heritage Area. It is anticipated that such a designation would benefit the areas tourism, agriculture, and economy; however, the resolution states the expansion and continued operation of New York State’s largest landfill located at the northern gateway to the Finger Lakes Region may hamper that designation, especially with thea rea and height increases proposed.”
Copies of the resolution will be sent to the state DEC, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Assemblyman John Lemondes, State Senator Rachel May, the Seneca Falls and Waterloo town boards, the Seneca Falls Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Seneca County Board of Supervisors.
Earlier this month, the New York Court of Appeals declined to hear an appeal from Seneca Meadows, effectively upholding Seneca Falls’ 2016 law requiring the landfill to close by December 31, 2025.
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