Residents for Responsible Government - Making Niagara a Better Place to Live

UPDATE

The New York State Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan has been published. And there's good news.

In Chapter 6 of the plan, The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation states:

"Conclusion regarding Facility Need

Based on the national availability of facilities, there are sufficient available TSD facilities for management of RCRA hazardous waste generated in NYS and will be for the foreseeable future.... Thus there is no current or near term need for increased capacity for hazardous waste management in New York State."

This is a huge coup for RRG and the residents of Lewiston and Porter! RRG and its supporters should be very proud of this determination.

But don't start the celebration just yet. The battle is not over. CWM will not simply walk away from the millions of dollars it would get by trucking hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic waste into our community for the next 30 years. CWM's $13-billion parent company, Waste Management, is assuredly assembling teams of lobbyists and lawyers to fight this.

The governor of New York still needs to appoint a siting board to finalize the plan.

CWM still pays thousands of dollars to the local press to run ads with its slogan "We Live Here, Too."

Sure, they live here. But WE die here. Hosting an enormous toxic/hazardous waste facility 1 mile from our schools, Lake Ontario, dumping waste water into the Niagara River -- it's killing our community, both literally and figuratively. Hosting ANOTHER one would be the final nail in the Lower Niagara River Region's coffin. That's the difference.

RRG still needs your support, especially now at this critical time. RRG has the expertise and experience to fight toxic waste landfilling, and we will continue doing so until CWM reaches capacity and settles into its legally-mandated and perpetually-monitored retirment. So, keep up with us, and we'll keep up with what needs to be done.

Meanwhile, please enjoy your read through the NYS Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan.

NOW is the time to get involved. We need community input more than ever! You can help.

CWM Chemical Services in Porter, NY, operates one of the largest hazardous waste landfills in the nation. CWM will finally reach capacity in fewer than 48 months.
We are the only area of the state ever to host commercial hazardous waste landfills.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has concluded in favor of RRG’s position that CWM expansion isn’t required for business or brownfields.

If, based on public comments, we can also change DEC’s unfair position that hazardous waste facilities are “equitably distributed,” an approval of the pending application for another 40 years of CWM dumping would become unlawful.

The Siting Plan should be revised to recognize the 8 million tons of toxic waste being “managed long-term” in six landfills at CWM in the Town of Porter.

The designated truck route to CWM runs through Lewiston and past all public schools.

Chapter 618 of the New York Laws of 1987 established the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) 27-1102 (see also ECL 27-0105 and 0106) mandates the development of a Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan (Plan) by the DEC to distribute toxic waste facilities equitably across the state. A 1994 court order by Judge Mintz mandated that the plan be updated and completed with “all deliberate speed."

Contact RRG or sign up for our email list to receive updates and visit the Take Action page for more information.