Niagara Group of the Sierra Club

791 Parkside Ave.

Buffalo, NY

14216

 

 

 

 

Town Of Porter

3265 Creek Road

Youngstown, NY

14174

 

 

July 12, 2001

 

Dear  Trustee

The Niagara Group of the Sierra Club currently has over 1800 members residing all over Western New York, with significant representation in Niagara County. Altogether, over a hundred live in the various communities of Niagara County.  In particular, twelve members live in Youngstown.  Another thirty-five live in the nearby communities of Wilson and Lewiston.

Recently, some of our members have raised the issue of a proposal before the Town Board of Porter to permit the re-zoning of land adjacent to the existing facilities of Chemical Waste Management (CWM).

As you undoubtedly know, CWM is licensed to receive and deposit toxic wastes at its current facility.  Its proposal to rezone would permit this company to continue receiving toxic wastes far into the future, and add to the buildup of wastes already on site.

A number of our Youngstown and other Niagara County members are adamantly opposed to CWM’s rezoning proposal; and have sought and won the Niagara Group’s official opposition to the re-zoning.  The attached resolution sets forth our opposition.

Western New York has over the years received far more than its share of toxic wastes. And suffered a number of major toxic crises and emergencies ranging from Love Canal, Hickory Woods and the Pfohl Brothers dump to the still unresolved controversy over clean-up operations at the West Valley Nuclear Site.

Our dubious legacy as the toxic dumping ground of the east should not be further perpetuated by allowing CWM to expand and continue operations.

Furthermore, the CWM proposal is particularly objectionable due to the proximity of the current and proposed facilities to both a nearby school and Lake Ontario.

We understand that CWM’s proposal promises the Town a good deal of money. However, we have been informed that the host agreement is full of holes, and leaves the Town no control for the future.  Moreover, the money being offered the Town is minor when compared to the local tax base.

Beyond that, however, money isn't really the issue—or, at least, it isn’t the sole issue. The issue really is the Town’s lack of a compelling need to permit this rezoning, which will allow more and more toxics to be brought into its midst, compromising the Town’s ability to assure its residents of a healthy, wholesome and safe local environment.

We urge you therefore to reject CWM’s rezoning proposal and thus permit the continuation of its toxic waste operations only until the capacity of its current landfill has been reached.

 

Sincerely,

 

Niagara Group of the Sierra Club