The draft version of a new comprehensive plan for the Town of Seneca Falls has proposed strategies in anticipation of possible closure of Seneca Meadows Inc.
The landfill, which is the largest in New York State, is located along Route 414.
Prepared by a local steering committee in collaboration with consultants from the MRB Group, the draft, revealed in early September, outlines four primary actions: the development of a fiscal sustainability plan, establishing reserve funds using landfill revenue for infrastructure and community development, forming a committee to discuss the landfill’s eventual closure, and creating a waste-diversion strategy to minimize the town’s solid waste production.
Concerns have been raised regarding the historical use of landfill revenues for town operations, with the report emphasizing a shift away from this practice.
The comprehensive plan, which is slated for a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Oct. 3, suggests that the town no longer use temporary revenue sources like the landfill to offset property tax rates or fund regular operations.
Instead, revenues should focus on initiatives like waste-diversion, community developments, and environmental conservation strategies.
However, some opponents of the landfill are planning to protest, urging the Town Board to delay finalizing the plan to allow more time for public review and to support a 2025 closure for the landfill.
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