Seneca Falls votes to expand landfills

There has been a major development in the fight over the Finger Lakes landfill.

On Wednesday, the Seneca Falls City Council voted to put forward a hosting agreement from Texas-based waste management company Waste Connections. The agreement will add 70 feet of elevation and 47 acres of new landfill liner in a valley between two existing slopes at the Seneca Meadows landfill.

Seneca Meadows is already the largest landfill in New York State. The Department of Environmental Conservation’s permit to operate it expires in 2025. Waste Connections has applied for a renewal through 2040, which includes the proposed expansion.

The City Council says it will also study a cluster of lung cancer reported near the Seneca Meadows landfill.

“Last night, Seneca Falls stood against dirty political dealings in favor of preserving our environment, health and the distinct character that makes our city and region so special,” said Yvonne Taylor, co-founder and vice president of Seneca Lake. guardian. “Millions of dollars cannot repair the damage the Seneca Meadows Landfill has done to the Finger Lakes and our community. I am proud that the City Council responded to community concerns about the Waste Connections Host Community Agreement and called for action in response to rising lung cancer rates near the largest landfill in New York State.” It is time to close the landfill once and for all.

Kyle Black, the landfill’s district manager, says his team follows strict regulations set by the DEC.

“Environmental monitoring, those requirements are met every day, every month, every quarter, every year,” Black said in a previous interview. Spectrum News 1. “Transparency has always been that way. Seneca Meadows, you can see us for miles. This is as transparent as it gets.”

Supporters of expanding the landfill argue it will provide a boost to the community with Waste Connections providing $173 million as part of the host agreement. They also point to the charitable contributions and millions of dollars in host fees already paid to cities each year.

The landfill employs about 100 people, and Seneca Meadows officials say is responsible for generating about $72 million for the local economy annually.

Only a small percentage of the waste buried in a landfill is local. Large trucks transport tons of waste to the landfill every day. About a third of it comes from New York City.