News

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Save the Finger Lakes

Stop the Incinerator

It has been such a beautiful beginning of summer in the Finger Lakes. Clean air and clean water are the foundation for a vibrant wine and agriculture industry. It is what keeps the tourists coming back. But, that is now at risk if the proposed garbage incinerator in Romulus goes forward.

INCINERATORS IN TROUBLE

What Are The Problems With Waste Incineration?

Waste incineration is a flawed approach that is expensive, polluting, and inefficient; aging incinerators are causing trouble with toxic emissions, odor, fires, financial insecurity, and environmental injustice.

Lawsuits addressed in Romulus trash incinerator hearing

WATERLOO, N.Y (WENY) -- In the Seneca County Courthouse Friday morning, Circular EnerG and the Town of Romulus voiced their sides regarding a potential trash incinerator to coming to the town, at the former Seneca Army Depot. The hearing addressed two lawsuits filed against Romulus by the Rochester-based company challenging a zoning determination, and the town's revised zoning laws. For Circular EnerG, it hopes to come out on top after the ruling. 

Judge reserves decisions on Romulus incinerator cases

WATERLOO — After listening to oral arguments for about an hour Friday, state Supreme Court Justice Daniel Doyle reserved decisions on two Article 78 proceedings initiated by the company interested in building a trash-burning incinerator in Romulus.

Judge Hears Lawsuits Against Romulus by Incinerator Corporation Circular enerG

Reserves Decisions on all motions

Waterloo, NY- In a packed courtroom, the Honorable Judge Doyle heard two Article 78 proceedings filed against the Town of Romulus by garbage incinerator applicant Circular enerG.

Letter to Tompkins County

Re: Cayuga Power Plant

Seneca Lake Guardian’s mission is to promote sustainable energy, increase investment in water supply/sewer systems, and to challenge destructive power plants, reckless development and decrepit infrastructure around Seneca Lake and throughout the Finger Lakes Region. As such, we write to urge you to adopt Resolution A, which asks the DEC to categorically deny Cayuga's application to convert to fracked gas, asks the Governor to provide support for transition to renewable energy, acknowledges that Cayuga’s proposal will result in significant environmental impacts, and calls on the DEC to require Cayuga to submit a full Environmental Impact Statement.  

Hidden emissions

A story from the Netherlands
Case Study

Although presented as state of the art, the youngest incinerator in the Netherlands is far from a clean: long-term tests reveal emissions of dioxin, furan and persistent organic pollutants far beyond the limits.

The case of the REC plant raises important questions for future policy-making concerning waste incineration and its potential effects on public health and the environment.

Seneca Lake Guardian

The Eyes, Ears and Voice Fighting for Clean Water

Waterkeeper Alliance, a global movement uniting more than 270 Waterkeeper organizations and affiliates, recently approved a new affiliate, Seneca Lake Guardian. Joseph M Campbell and Yvonne Taylor of Gas Free Seneca are excited to extend their efforts as the Seneca Lake Guardians to protect and preserve Seneca Lake, one of New York's Finger Lakes, by combining their firsthand knowledge of the watershed with an unwavering commitment to the rights of the community.

A Dirty Waste—How Renewable Energy Policies Have Financed the Unsustainable Waste-to-Energy Industry

The end of the 20th Century saw a major shift in the United States’ approach to energy policy. After decades focused on fossil fuel production, the country began to realize that renewable sources of energy were the way of the future. Governments relied on both mandates and tax incentives to encourage the use of energy from sources like solar and wind power. Waste- to-Energy (“WTE”) power is another form of energy production that is classified as renewable. This Note summarizes the WTE pro- cess and the laws that allowed it to grow, argues that WTE is not economical- ly sound or environmentally sustainable, and proposes legislative changes to prevent more harm from WTE in the future.

Deborah Goldberg Environmental Stewardship Scholarship

The Deborah Goldberg Environmental Stewardship Scholarship will be awarded annually to a Finger Lakes High School Senior who is pursuing a career in Environmental Law. 
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Call Governor Hochul:

Stop Bitcoin mining fracked gas power plants

Call Governor Hochul TODAY at 877-235-6537 to urge her to halt Bitcoin mining in New York, starting with the Greenidge power plant on Seneca Lake, and Fortistar power plant proposed for Niagara County.

PLEASE Call Governor Hochul TODAY!

Now's the time to keep that pressure going by calling Governor Hocul. Our friends at Food and Water Watch have set up a call line to do just that!

Important Actions and Updates on Greenidge Bitcoin Mining Facility

The climate change alarm bells are deafening and we’re seeing the impacts almost daily across the state, country and planet. There are vital actions for you to take in the coming weeks. We need all hands on deck now, if we are to protect our region-and beyond- in the days ahead.

Our air. Our water. Our vote.

This fall, New Yorkers will have the historic opportunity to enshrine the right to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment into the Bill of Rights of the New York State constitution.

We NEED You Saturday!

Join us at the DEC Headquarters. No: You’re NOT too busy.

We know you all have busy lives. We do too. But we are asking you to spend a few hours to SHOW UP on Saturday. WE NEED YOU TO DO THIS ONE THING.

We are paying for a bus that you can hop on.

The bus will be leaving from Watkins Glen and there are only a few seats left.
RSVP today!

Help Collect Data on Seneca Lake Fish Health May 29-31

Join us May 29-31 in conducting a fish health survey during the National Lake Trout Derby on Seneca Lake.

DEC Rally

Buses Provided to DEC Headquarters Rally 6/5 2-4

We are offering transportation via bus from Watkins Glen with several pickup stops along the west side of Seneca Lake en route to Avon, NY.

Important Organizational Sign On Letter

Climate Busting Cryptocurrency

We urge you to sign on to this letter urging New York to take a pause and study the impacts that proof of work cryptocurrency mining has on climate, air, water, and health before it expands across the state. If this issue is not yet on your radar, it absolutely must be now.

Greenidge Bitcoin Fracked Gas Power Plant

Action Toolkit

Here are some tips and tools to help us fight the expansion of the Greenidge plant.

Please sign on to protect the Finger Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed!

Two Ways To Lend your Support

Seneca Lake Guardian has recently learned of an ill-conceived plan to convert prime agricultural land into a needless, environmentally and economically dangerous garbage and construction/ demolition debris facility in Schuyler County- the heart of the Finger Lakes.
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Urgent Action Needed in Seneca County

We have been informed that the Seneca Meadows Landfill is trying to get resolutions of support for its expansion in every Town in Seneca County.  They were successful in getting a resolution of support from the Town of Varick last month, and aim to get more this month.

Urgent! New York’s Climate Law About to be Gutted.

Please Call Hochul!

Please call Governor Hochul and urge her to NOT include the Parker/Barrett bill in the State Budget – it will gut the Climate Act and worsen the climate crisis.

URGENT! Crypto to jeopardize CLCPA - need S6486D passed in Senate!

I am writing with an urgent request for a show of support for S6486D, which would put in place a 2-year moratorium on crypto mining that is done in fossil fuel power plants and directs DEC to conduct an environmental review.

Urgent: Action Needed!

Cargill running seismic testing without applying for a permit

John Dennis, a co-founder of CLEAN, was out in his kayak doing a HABs survey on Sunday when he spotted what appeared to be Bay Geophysical’s seismic research vessel pulling a pneumatic air gun array and the single string of hydrophones that is used to implement 2D seismic studies of underground rock formations. A photograph of a Bay Geophysical doing a 2016 seismic study in front of Cayuga Power

Urgent: Assembly Vote Today

Call your Assembly Person Now!

TODAY (Tuesday, June 19th) - We have an opportunity to kill the proposed garbage burning facility in Romulus, NY, if we act swiftly. There are bills proposed ( S8109b/A11214) which, if passed in the Assembly and the Senate, then signed by Governor Cuomo, would prohibit garbage incineration in the Finger Lakes.

URGENT: Seneca Falls Board Pulls Another Fast One

The Town of Seneca Falls has scheduled to bring back a vote on its Host Community Agreement with Seneca Meadows Landfill at tonight's Board meeting starting with a Public Hearing on the Town's Comprehensive Plan at 6:00 pm, 130 Ovid St, Seneca Falls, NY 13148-2300, United States.

Urgent: We need All Hands On Deck Monday 6/27 11:30 Geneva

Please take an hour of your time to join us at the Gazebo in front of the Finger Lakes Welcome Center in Geneva on Monday June 27th at 11:30 am. We'll be holding a press conference and rally urging Governor Hochul to stop delaying the signing of the bill into law and to deny Greenidge's Title V Air Permit Renewal. We need YOU there, and please bring 100 of your friends.

VICTORY! DEC Denies Greenidge Generation’s Title V Permits

After a year+ of advocacy, enviros, electeds, winemakers, and more celebrate precedent-setting decision; urge Governor Hochul to sign moratorium.

Watch: Bitcoin & Fracked Gas

Stopping Cryptocurrency’s Climate Impacts

Bitcoin mining fueled by fracked gas could undermine New York's climate goals – but on October 28th, we discussed our plans to stop this catastrophic threat.

Watch: Seneca Lake Guardian Press Conference

Legislative Office Building Albany, NY