When it comes a proposed composing facility, which would process New York City sewer sludge – residents have stepped up to oppose it.
“Upstate New York has become New York City’s dumping ground,” Steve Wickman of Sodus said, as reported by News10NBC. “Ontario County, Monroe County, Seneca County, Utica County Seneca County. Day after day after day after day all day long, bringing garbage up here, and when does it stop?”
The plan is to build the processing facility along State Route 89 in the town of Butler.
The prospect outraged some families who lived nearby, like Ralph Deon, who approached News10NBC crew and proposed, “I’ve got a good idea. Go right over to Albany and put it in Cuomo’s living room and tell me how that goes over for him.”
Wolcott Wastewater Superintendent Tom Mettler visited a sludge processing facility in Pennsylvania. He described the odors generated at that facility as ‘horrid’, which aligned with most people’s fears about the proposal.
Town Supervisor David Spickerman contends that the permit process has only just begun. He further noted to News10NBC that under the proposal, sludge processed at the facility is supposed to be mixed with materials like wood chips to become fertilizer. Meanwhile, the toxic liquids would be drained out and disposed of elsewhere.
“They’ll tell you it’s not going to leak but doesn’t everybody say that?” Another neighbor asked. “How many places in this country have had leaks when they supposedly had it contained? You know? It’s not worth the risk. It’s not worth the risk.”
The next meeting where Tully Environmental, the developers behind the project will appear, is slated for March 9th.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.