Seneca Lake Guardian is speaking out after a state appellate court struck down a local law aimed at closing the Seneca Meadows Landfill.
Last Friday’s decision overturns Local Law 3, adopted by the Seneca Falls Town Board in 2016, which required the landfill to cease operations by the end of 2025.
In a statement, Seneca Lake Guardian Co-Founder and Vice President Yvonne Taylor said the ruling does not reflect what the group describes as widespread community opposition to the landfill and its potential expansion.
“This court ruling does nothing to change the fact that our local community overwhelmingly opposes any expansion of this landfill,” Taylor said, adding that the organization expects the decision to be appealed.
The landfill has been a source of ongoing concern for residents and environmental advocates. The group cited data indicating elevated lung cancer rates in the surrounding area, as well as environmental impacts tied to landfill operations.
Seneca Lake Guardian also raised concerns about emissions and waste generated at the site, noting the facility is a major source of methane in New York and produces large volumes of liquid waste that must be transported for treatment.
The future of the landfill now rests with Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which is reviewing an application to extend operations.
The landfill’s owner is seeking approval to continue operations for an additional 15 years and expand the facility. Although the site was expected to reach capacity at the end of 2025, it remains open while the state reviews the permit application.
According to the organization, a recent survey of more than 700 local residents found that many respondents live or have children attending school near the landfill.
State officials have not yet issued a final decision on the permit application.
