Speak Out Against Toxic Waste in Niagara County

Just a mile from the Lewiston-Porter Central Schools, two miles from the Niagara River, and three miles to Lake Ontario sits New York’s only hazardous waste landfill, the Chemical Waste Management (CWM) facility in the Town of Porter, NY. For nearly 40 years, the residents of Niagara County and the nearby Great Lakes have been unduly burdened with the only hazardous waste landfill capacity in the state. CWM is proposing to increase capacity and extend the life of the landfill.

Public hearings on the proposed expansion of the CWM toxic waste dump at Porter, NY are scheduled for July 16 (Wednesday) at 1 pm and 6:30 pm at the Lew-Port High School.

If you attend, you may want to consider speaking out on some of the following points.

Niagara County has a substantial burden of both legacy and ongoing contamination in comparison to the rest of New York State. In general, the data show that of the 62 counties in New York, Niagara County has far more than its share of toxic sites.

According to the October, 2010 New York State Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan, no additional hazardous waste disposal capacity is required, due to long-term excess capacity. It read, "Based on the national availability of facilities, there are sufficient transfer, storage and disposal facilities for management of hazardous waste generated in New York, and will be for the foreseeable future."

CWM has a long history of state and federal fines for permit violations. Monthly "monitor" reports issued by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation frequently cite hazardous waste trucks arriving at CWM's gate as already leaking.

This "Waste Economy" conflicts with the WNY Regional Economic Development Council Strategic Plan, formulated at the request of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The WNY REDC Development Plan calls for "sustainable economic growth" and "improvement upon the region's image." An active hazardous waste landfill is unsustainable and has a negative image that has been publicized by the media, notably the New York Times.

There are 17 commercial hazardous waste landfills left in the United States. Several have closed in the past 20 years and more may close over the 30-year term of CWM's application. Hosting one of the last toxic waste dumps in the US is incompatible with the Regional Economic Development plan's objectives.

It's time to shutter the CWM hazardous waste dump that is perilously close to Lew-Port schools, the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, endangers our health, and is woefully incompatible with the two largest industries in Niagara County, tourism and agriculture. Don't miss this opportunity to tell Cuomo and the DEC: Close CWM!