An appellate court has ruled that Seneca Lake Guardian (SLG) can sue the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) over a permit for discharging PFAS-contaminated liquid into Cayuga Lake. The group claims the discharge poses a health risk to people who use the lake for drinking water and recreation.
In October 2022, SLG sued the DEC for allowing County Line, a waste facility, to dispose of liquid waste containing PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment. The waste would be treated at a plant that cannot remove PFAS, endangering the lake’s users.
The lawsuit was initially dismissed, but the appellate court reversed this decision, stating the potential harm is real. “We are thankful we can now move forward to protect Cayuga Lake,” said Yvonne Taylor, SLG co-founder.
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