Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat News
The Newsletter of the Great Lakes
Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund
The Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat News is the newsletter of the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund, published five times per year. The News is intended to provide a forum for the free exchange of ideas among citizens and organizations working to protect aquatic habitats in the Great Lakes Basin.
Volume 14, Number 3 • Summer 2006
Grassroots Profile
NY Legislation Passed to Help Great Lakes
By Bill Roland, Residents for Responsible Government
Residents for Responsible
Government, Inc. (RRG) in
Niagara County, NY
applauds action by both
state chambers to pass
legislation that will
restrict commercial
hazardous waste landfills
from locating in the Great
Lakes System if there is the
potential for contamination.
After the Niagara
County legislature unanimously
passed the initial
bill, RRG rallied the public
to get involved.
The vast majority of hazardous waste
landfilled in New York State is imported.
Up to 400,000 tons annually can be
imported and buried in Niagara County.
According to the state Department of
Environmental Conservation, 30 states,
Canada, and off-shore currently import
into the Town of Porter site operated by
Chemical Waste Management (CWM).
The EPA has confirmed that there is
sufficient national capacity, and RRG
feels that New York State no longer
needs to import and maintain a
commercial toxic waste landfill, in
Niagara County or in any part of the
Great Lakes Basin. This is a state-wide bill
designed to protect all areas of New York
State that are within the Great Lakes
Basin.
This legislation has language to resolve a
conflict between current New York State
Hazardous Waste Siting Law and state
obligations under the 1986 Great Lake
Toxic Substances Control Agreement, an
international agreement executed by all
Great Lakes states including New York
State. The 1986 agreement, along with a
1978 Great Lakes Agreement, established
the objective of "zero discharges" of
persistent chemicals into the Great
Lakes System. Yet, until now, New York
Hazardous Waste Siting Law has no
prohibition on facilities that accumulate
and discharge such contaminants.
It has been a long up-hill battle in this
northwest corner of New York State.
"When you see [a company] spending
over $1,200,000 for lobbyists over four
years," continued Agnello, "it is a big red
flag!"
As this article goes to press, RRG said that
they can’t rest yet. "After the governor
gets it, he has 10 days to veto or sign into
law, or else it will become law." explained
RRG Vice President April Fideli. "When I
spoke to Governor Pataki, he was
interested and supportive of preserving
the environment and tourism in this
area, he wants to be the 'environmental
governor' and I believe he'll show the
public that he cares." RRG stated that,
locally, everyone cares and cited support
of labor unions, local radio, and numerous environmental
groups from across the country that stepped forward to
endorse this basic legislation. "The whole community sends
a most gracious thanks to all supporters!" said Agnello.
RRG is a non-partisan organization, formed in 2002, to help
inform residents of the hazards of toxic waste in the
Western New York Region, especially the chemical and
radiological materials in and around a site that sits in the
middle of the Lake Ontario Ordinance Works, a major WW II
munitions production and radioactive handling and disposal
site located one mile from the Niagara River.
For more information:
Bill Roland, Residents for Responsible Government Inc.
Box 262, Youngstown, NY 14174
PH: (716) 791-4562 • Website: rrg-wny.org
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