Here is another effort to reach out and request support to save our communities. We really need help.

August 13, 2014

Dear concerned citizen of Seneca County,

For over 6 years, Concerned Citizens of Seneca County, Inc. has been at the forefront of trying to lessen our trash imports, knowing that mega-landfills threaten our health, environment, and the sustainable economic development of the Finger Lakes region, which is largely based on the attractions of the area’s natural beauty and an emergent wine industry [Seneca Falls - Birthplace of Women's Rights!]

In the process of our work, we have focused much of our attention on Seneca Meadows’ proposed clay mine on the north side of Waterloo, a massive industrial excavation project estimated to last 11 years that we feel will completely and dangerously (as concerns road crossings) change the character of this neighborhood and the Town of Waterloo forever.

We thought that we had the votes needed to defeat this proposal, but the final tally on July 28th turned out differently; the proposal was passed 3-2.

Two Waterloo Town officials who had campaigned against the clay mine (Gary Westfall and Herb Meyer) decided, instead, to vote for it; and they, along with Jamie King, also decided that, for continued cash payments under the Community Benefits Agreement, they would not oppose the expansion of the landfill past 2023, which is to say, for as long as the landfill wants to stay here.

We are at a crossroads. We need your financial help if we are to continue this fight, meaning individual donations of up to $1000 or more, as our lawyer requires a sizable retainer fee to proceed.

This suit must be filed within 30 days of the Town Board’s decision, which makes our filing date Aug 26. It is imperative we hear from all of you with either funding or a promise of support in the near future. We cannot move forward without you, and a court challenge is our last resort.

If we do NOT file a lawsuit, SMI gets the mine, and the Town supports the landfill expansion forever.

We have retained and have been working with the same legal counsel that defeated Seneca Meadows in Seneca Falls regarding the proposed rail spur just 6 months ago [We will have to deal with this again. Seneca Meadows will not let it go. It will be back on the agenda soon], and we have strong confidence in success.

You can donate by making a check out to CCSC and sending it to CCSC, P.O. Box 553, Waterloo, New York, 13165 (strongly preferred method) or else online at our website at http://ccseneca.org/.

If you want more information, you can visit our website (which contains our by-laws and other important information), call 315-412-0407, or email me at ccsenecacounty@gmail.com.

I believe in us. I hope you do, too. Thank you.

Glen Silver, President Note: Donations will be kept strictly confidential unless otherwise requested.

Thank you so much for taking the time to supplement my post with current details on the Seneca Meadows expansion. It just breaks my heart every time we come home. I wish there were more people like yourself who elevated history and Finger Lakes tourism over the short-sighted economics of accepting everyone else’s trash. Please keep fighting, though– everyone has their breaking point, and perhaps the progression of the clay mine and proposed railway will mobilize more citizens to say, “Enough is enough.”

I have an essay coming out this fall about the Cayuga Country Ground Water Contamination Site (a Superfund site solvent plume from the former GE facility in Auburn that stretches all the way down to Union Springs) — a pointed example of a community unknowingly harmed by business/industry that brought jobs and then left its mess behind. I think this is an important issue to press at community meetings. The discussion is always framed as ‘jobs’ — but what about community health? And what happens later, after the jobs are gone?

Anyway, please do keep in touch about this and other local Finger Lakes issues. We may live far away, but our hearts are still there.

Best regards,
Mary Heather Noble

I came across your Blog by researching ways to try to slow down the encroachment of Seneca Meadows over our beautiful, historical community of Seneca Falls. Although truly embarrassed that this is what the Birthplace of Women’s Rights has become, I am grateful that you took the time to write your impressions for everyone to read.

A small group of locals have been very vocal for years and have been fighting to limit the rapid expansion of the massive landfill. As you saw and smelled, we have not been too successful. We do not have the funding to continuously litigate against a million dollar corporation.

The latest assault took place just last week when the Waterloo Town Board approved a huge, industrial, clay mining operations in favor of the foreign owned Seneca Meadows. This mine will be in a residential neighborhood (also very close proximately to a school) with only a 300 foot setback from homes. The Waterloo Town Board’s vote went against the will of the people. There are five Democratic Board Members, who ran all their campaigns and were elected with promises to oppose the clay mine and any further expansion of Seneca Meadows. Three of those board members betrayed their constituents. The clay mine approval passed 3 – 2. It’s my personal opinion that a lot of intimidation and payoffs are taking place. There are whispered rumors but no proof. What else can it be when all the boards votes (never put to a vote by the people) go in favor of such horrible devastation of two communities?

Our next fight will be the planned massive rail yards on 414 and 95′ long trash train railcars filled with putrid garage coming in from as far away as Canada. They plan was temporarily halted with an Article 78 proceeding, but with an article in today’s local paper, after the approval of the clay mine, Seneca Meadows will partner with the Finger Lakes Railway and go back to the Seneca Falls Town Council and Planning Boards to reapply for the zoning for the rail yards. The same two boards, with just a few people (some only appointed), approved the first attempt for the rail yards and trash trains. We are doomed.

Over the years, I have personally emailed all local representatives, Facebook posted, Twittered to many NY State US representatives . . . everyone I can think of for assistance to save our community from being buried by everyone else’s trash. I had hopes that someone, with a voice, cared enough to even inquire about the demise of such an important, historical community. My pleas have gone out to Senator Chuck Schumer , Senator Kristin Gillibrand, Senator Mike Nozzolio, Assemblyman Brian Kolb, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Nancy Pellosi and more. My requests where either ignored, a canned letter response or deleted off of Facbook pages.

Some of the state and national leaders have visited Seneca Falls . . . including President Obama. Each and every time they are scheduled to visit, I have asked that the local representatives include the trash mountain on their tours. Instead, they are always routed around. It’s good enough for the local’s to endure, but too embarrassing for the outside world to know what they are doing to our heath, quality of life, livelihoods and property values.

For more history of the ongoing devastation:

http://ccseneca.org

https://www.facebook.com/groups/604853012889982/760576633984285/?notif_t=group_comment

Again, thank you for writing about the reality that we live with daily.

Sincerely,
Joanne Elliott
42 Cayuga Street
Seneca Falls, NY