Chemical dump permit denied

(Editor's note: Buffalo Niagara Waterkeepers, Amy Witryol and people who care about Lewiston are celebrating today after a state siting board denied the Chemical Waste Management hazardous waste landfill siting application in Porter. Lori Caso, CWM’s local face is likely sad.

CWM will likely appeal but it is a huge interim victory for defeating the extension of Niagara County’s ongoing toxic legacy.

It may be anecdotal evidence, but 3 volumes of newspaper clippings at the Lewiston Public Library documenting premature deaths of Lew-Port teachers might be worth closer examination no matter what CWM pleads. The siting board's decision is attached.)

Here’s the press release from Waterkeeper:

Jill Jedlicka, Executive Director of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper stated: “Today we have learned that after 10+ years of local advocacy and legal efforts, the New York State Facility Siting Board has denied the certification request from CWM for a new landfill in Niagara County. Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper celebrates this decision as a rare victory for our river and community. We understand there is a need in our country to safely manage and treat toxic wastes that are endlessly generated by industry, but that is a responsibility that should not be disproportionately dumped upon local communities like Niagara County, where residents have already suffered for generations. We should also never accept polluted wastewater being discharged to a Class A drinking water supply. Society needs to do better.

“For generations, the Niagara River and WNY community has been negatively impacted by our nation’s industrial hangover that includes the ongoing management of historical pollution and import of hazardous wastes. Rather than accepting the status quo of this polluted legacy, and in this case, an attempt to expand upon it, several local municipalities, school systems, concerned residents, the Tuscarora Nation, and non-profits like Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper remained steadfast in our efforts to prioritize the health of our lands, waters and community. 

“In the Siting Board’s ruling, it is clear that they listened to our community, reviewed the evidence and the arguments for and against the landfill, and determined what has been obvious to many of us all along, that this landfill is not needed, nor in the public interest. We appreciate the Siting Board seeing through the false narrative presented by CWM’s argument that the economic benefit outweighs the burden on the community. The Siting Board was not convinced that there is any amount of revenue that can compensate the residents of the impacted communities for hosting the only commercial hazardous waste landfill in New York State since 1990.

“Furthermore, the denial validates the concerns that Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper has repeatedly raised, that the beneficial uses of the Niagara River would continue to be put at risk with the operation and wastewater discharges from this proposed facility. Though we anticipate there will be efforts to revisit this proposal, at least for today we can celebrate a ruling that finally puts our community, the public, and environmental health first.”