Local residents, families, students, and educators gathered near Waterloo High School and Middle School on Tuesday to protest a proposed expansion of Seneca Meadows Inc., New York State’s largest landfill. The rally, organized by Seneca Lake Guardian and Concerned Citizens of Seneca County, called on Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to reject the plan.
The proposed expansion would increase the landfill’s footprint by 47 acres and allow operations to continue through 2040. Local law, passed in 2016 and reaffirmed by the state Supreme Court earlier this year, requires the landfill to close by the end of 2025.
“Our kids are the most vulnerable. Their lungs are still developing, they breathe faster, and they spend most of their day just steps away from the biggest pile of trash in New York State,” said Yvonne Taylor, Vice President of Seneca Lake Guardian. “They play baseball next to this landfill. They learn math next to this landfill. They eat lunch next to this landfill. None of that should be acceptable.”
Residents say the landfill poses a unique risk due to its noxious odors and proximity to local schools and the Waterloo Little League fields. Students and teachers have reported occasions when the smell is so strong that it causes nausea or forces them to miss school.
Opponents of the expansion argue it threatens public health, the local environment, and the Finger Lakes tourism economy. The state is still reviewing the proposal, despite the legal requirement for Seneca Meadows to close by the end of this year.
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