Christmas Day stench — thanks to Seneca Meadows Landfill

To the Editor:

We awoke early on Christmas morning to the smell of the landfill seeping into the cracks of our doors and windows. The stench was everywhere in our peaceful little village. Homes and churches were filled with the disgusting odors. As our visitors from out of town arrived, the stench refilled our home each time the door was opened. Holiday greetings were exchanged followed by “Is that the landfill, why do you have to put up with that?” Shaking their heads in disbelief they reminisced how lovely this area used to be.

The odor hotline was called and an investigator called shortly after to advise that he was on the way. Our visitors added their testimony to him on the phone. Seven hours later we called again advising as a group that the odors were still present. We inquired about the previous investigation and were told that landfill odors were acknowledged and prevalent and that adjustments had been made. He stated more adjustments would be made.

The landfill odors continued through the evening. Our quiet little village finally received relief from the disgusting smells around 8:30 p.m., a sad and shocking realization how much the landfill controls our area’s “comfort and joy!”

It is not a Wonderful Life in this area. We are in serious trouble! SMI is now our Mr. Potter, the greedy, money-hungry, controlling factor from the movie. Each time odors escape their property lines we are being violated, harassed. Our mental, physical and emotional health are being relentlessly compromised by their broken promises and violations — all for the sake of money and control. What will our lives be like with a massive expansion and many more years of violations?

We can all be George Bailey by calling the Odor Hot Line to report the odors. Please put these numbers in your phones, share on social media. Complain wherever and whenever you smell landfill odors, even on Christmas Day. These complaints do make a difference, this information also goes to the DEC and SF Town Board. Be a George Bailey — fight to save our area, make our area wonderful again.

Odor Hotline: daytime 315-539-5624

Odor Hotline: after hours 1-800-889-4318

CYNTHIA FRENCH

Waterloo

If you can smell the Seneca Meadows Landfill, please urge the town not to approve the landfill’s local operating permit!!!

Yvonne Taylor, Vice President of Seneca Lake Guardian said “New Yorkers fought hard to ban fracking, and we applaud Governor Hochul’s signing of the CO2 Fracking Ban today. We must take these bold steps, especially as we face the dismantling of environmental protections and replacing good government with an authoritarian-oriented administration. New York must continue to steer the way forward and we’re counting on Governor Hochul to take the helm. She has demonstrated her leadership with the signing of this ban.”