State appellate court strikes down local law, as massive landfill expansion hangs in the balance
Final decision rests with Governor Hochul and Department of Environmental Conservation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2026
Contact: senecalake@berlinrosen.com
Seneca Falls, NY — Today, Finger Lakes environmental non-profit Seneca Lake Guardian responded to a state appellate court decision that overturns Local Law 3, a law passed by the Seneca Falls Town Board in 2016 that mandated the closure of the Seneca Meadows landfill by the end of 2025. The decision defies the overwhelmingly negative public sentiment towards New York’s largest landfill, as the public awaits a decision from the state on Seneca Meadows’ application to extend and expand their operations through 2040. Seneca Meadows sits across the street from a local middle school and high school, in an area that has already been identified as a cancer cluster with lung cancer rates 30-35% higher than state and national averages.
“This court ruling does nothing to change the fact that our local community overwhelmingly opposes any expansion of this landfill and the continued harm it brings to our air, water, and economy,” said Yvonne Taylor, Co-Founder and Vice President of Seneca Lake Guardian, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the health, environment, and economy of the Finger Lakes. “We expect the decision to be appealed, but ultimately, the fate of Seneca Meadows rests squarely with Governor Hochul and her Department of Environment Conservation. We have and will continue to make unmistakably clear to them and Seneca Meadows that the Finger Lakes refuses to be New York’s largest dumping ground. This is far from over.”
Seneca Meadows’ continued operations are deeply concerning for New Yorkers statewide. The landfill is the largest single point source of methane in the state and generates 200,000 gallons of toxic liquid every day, which gets trucked across the state to wastewater treatment plants largely unequipped to remove the PFAS “forever chemicals” it contains.
The future of Seneca Meadows ultimately rests with Governor Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as they consider the landfill’s new permit application. Waste Connections, the landfill’s Texas-based for-profit owner, is seeking to operate for 15 more years and expand its size by 47 acres wider and 7 stories taller. While Seneca Meadows was expected to reach capacity on December 31st, 2025, it continues to operate thanks to a legal loophole in the State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA), which for years has allowed corporate polluters to operate under an expired permit while awaiting a final decision from the DEC.
A recent survey from more than 700 local respondents illustrate the landfill’s ongoing harm. Of the respondents, 60% said they have or had kids who lived with them near the landfill and 56% have children who go to school near the landfill.
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