Opponents of the Seneca Meadows landfill scored a major legal victory Thursday after New York’s highest court dismissed an appeal from the facility’s owners.
The Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal by Seneca Meadows, Inc. “without costs,” finding that the order challenged in the case “does not finally determine the proceeding/action within the meaning of the Constitution.” The ruling effectively leaves in place a 2016 local law that mandates the landfill must close by the end of 2025.
The decision removes a key legal roadblock for critics who have long demanded the closure of the state’s largest landfill, which receives waste from New York City and beyond. Environmental advocates celebrated the ruling, calling it a long-awaited affirmation of the town’s authority to regulate waste management in its jurisdiction.
The landfill has drawn sustained criticism for its size and environmental impact, with local and regional activists citing concerns about air quality, odor, and groundwater pollution. As the DEC weighs the expansion application, opponents say they will continue pressing state officials to enforce the 2025 closure deadline.
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