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ACAL NewsRecent Documents...
News Updates...ACAL News – Week of 18 May 2007Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY) is the state’s government watchdog, holding lawmakers and agencies accountable for enacting and enforcing laws that protect natural resources and safeguard public health. The 501(c)(3) non-profit EANY is also the New York State affiliate for the National Wildlife Federation. Last month, EANY issued their 10-page report, Muddying the Waters – The Unknown Consequences of New York’s Failed Pollution Permit Program. I read the report twice and highlighted information I believed would be useful to the public. For those interested in reading the report in its entirety, please visit the EANY website @ www.eany.org. According to Mudding the Waters, the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has operated an illegal water pollution program for 15 years, allowing 1,150 polluters statewide to discharge toxic pollution in the New York’s lakes, rivers, streams and public water supplies. These 1,150 facilities “have not had an evaluation of their pollution permits in more than 10 years”. In 1975, the DEC created the state’s water pollution program called the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES), which was “expected to mirror the technical requirements and enforcement provisions” of the federal program. Every facility that discharges anything into New York waters must have a SPDES permit, and they “are suppose to undergo a rigorous technical review every five years”. Muddying the Waters reports the DEC “is not only failing to meet its obligations under its agreement with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is also breaking the law” under the provisions of the Clean Water Act. Here are four facilities of the 1,150 that are presently discharging pollution into New York waters, many of which are discharging into state-designated impaired waters. (from Environmental Advocates of New York, Muddying the Waters - The Unknown Consequences of New York’s Failed Pollution Permit Program, April 2007, pages 4 & 5) • Region 1 Facility: Nassau County Water Pollution Control Plant, Hempstead, NY Last permit technical review: 1990 Amount of discharge per day: 76 million gallons Receiving water: Atlantic Ocean 9 of the listed 25 pollutants: chlorine, fecal coliform, copper, chromium, lead, methylene chloride, trichoriethylene, nitrogen ammonia, suspended solids • Region 5 Facility: GE Silicones, Waterford, NY Last permit technical review: 1992 Amount of discharge per day: 49.49 million gallons Receiving water: Hudson River (impaired water) 8 of the listed 24 pollutants: copper, zinc, chloroform, cyanide, silver, cobalt, suspended solids, oil and grease • Region 6 Facility: Rome Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant, Rome, NY Last permit technical review: 1990 Amount of discharge per day: 13.5 million gallons Receiving water: Mohawk River Listed pollutants: cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, antimony, 1,1,1-trichloro-ethane, nitrogen, ammonia, mercury, chloroform • Region 7 Facility: Ithaca Area Waste Water Treatment Facility Last permit technical review: 1987 Amount of discharge per day: 10 million gallons Receiving water: Cayuga Lake (impaired water) 8 of the listed 21 pollutants: suspended solids, residual chlorine, fecal coliform, phosphorus, methylene chloride, 1,2-transdichloroethylene, lead, nitrogen ammonia “When added together, the total discharge of pollutants from all SPDES permitted facilities in New York State is over 54 billion gallons per day.” According to EANY’s Endangered Agency reports, the DEC suffered drastic staff cuts under the Pataki administration. Beginning in 1992, the DEC lost 700-800 employees “including some of its most experienced scientists and engineers, impairing the DEC’s ability to ensure the protection of the environment and safety of all New Yorkers.” “In an effort to begin the process of rebuilding the DEC, Governor Spitzer proposed 109 new staff positions for the DEC, all of which were included in the final budget as enacted on April 1, 2007. It appears that 10 of the new DEC positions are earmarked for the agency’s water pollution permit program.” During the construction of its landfill in the Town of Ava in 2005 and 2006, the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (OHSWA) allowed excessive sediment and other pollutants to enter the trout spawning stream of Moose Creek on repeated occasions. Despite the obvious non-compliance by OHSWA to follow the conditions of its permits, instead of the DEC performing an investigative technical review, they sited OHSWA with a single violation on Sept. 5, 2005. It is time for the DEC to begin addressing the serious issues associated with facilities acting in non-compliance of their permits and to take action according to the provisions of the Clean Water Act. Adirondack Communities Advisory League (ACAL) is hopeful the future “new and improved” DEC will not only begin to further uphold its mission to protect the environment, but will also hold all permitted facilities accountable for polluting New York waterways. Jacki Chamberlain Director of Communications Adirondack Communities Advisory League (ACAL) 07/02/10 - Burning household trash is illegal in New York 06/17/10 - New Yorkers for Zero Waste Platform 07/13/09 - ACAL - Alive and well 04/13/08 - ACAL 2008 Update - Part 2 03/18/08 - ACAL Continues Environmental Mission in 2008 11/09/07 - Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust 10/26/07 - A good read - The Adirondack Atlas 10/12/07 - New York State Opening Meeting Law 09/28/07 - ACAL Fall Foliage Auction Oct. 5 09/21/07 - Integrity found in the Town of Ava 09/14/07 - Tug Hill resources have been targeted 08/19/07 - Fair and straighforward journalism? 08/10/07 - A Needed Appreciation for Nature 08/03/07 - New York State Municipal Home Rule Law 07/27/07 - Boonville Village Litter/Debris Local Law 07/19/07 - Black River Landing Subdivision Issues 07/13/07 - WTE vs. Landfills 06/29/07 - Too many impaired waters - Black River Watershed 06/22/07 - Protecting our drinking water starts at home 06/15/07 - ACAL Joins Northern Forest Alliance 06/07/07 - ACAL Holds 200/20 Drawing & Picnic, Annual Meeting 06/07/07 - ACAL AWARDED GRANT 06/01/07 - Be a solution - get involved 05/25/07 - American flags do not belong in landfills 05/24/07 - PRESS RELEASE - ACAL Signs Stolen & Vandalized 05/18/07 - Reality check for the DEC 05/04/07 - All citizens are called to act responsibly 04/27/07 - "An Inconvenient Truth" 04/13/07 - Citizens Deserve the Whole Truth ... 04/06/07 - Great Lakes United & Citizen Resources 03/30/07 - "What is the future of local government?" 03/23/07 - Citizens Expect More From Local Government 03/16/07 - Plastic Grocery Bags Harm Wildlife 03/09/07 - The Precious Gift of Water 03/02/07 - Working Together to Protect the Environment 02/26/07 - Grassroots groups are citizens who care! 02/16/07 - Local Citizens Want Environment Protected 02/09/07 - Open Letter to Boonville Town/Village Officials 02/02/07 - Ava Landfill Story Told in Chicago 01/26/07 - It's time for New Yorkers to reclaim their rights! 01/12/07 - CITIZENS' RIGHTS ARE NOT FOR SALE! 01/05/07 - "DO NOT LITTER" Applies to Everyone 12/15/06 - "March of the Penguins" 12/08/06 - Be "good news" in the community 12/01/06 - Moose Creek Prediction - 12 years ago! 11/22/06 - United Haulers v. OHSWA 11/17/06 - A Citizen's Rights 11/03/06 - EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE 11/01/06 - ACAL statement regarding opening of landfill 10/24/06 - OHSWA Opens Landfill Without Required DEC Permit 10/20/06 - OHSWA required by DEC to have proper permit 10/13/06 - Dr. Bob Johnson Speaks at Public Forum 10/06/06 - OHSWA Fails to Deliver 10/04/06 - PRESS RELEASE - Court Denies OHSWA Motions 09/26/06 - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 09/21/06 - If OHSWA knew what they were doing ... 09/08/06 - Joint Board Resolution Revisited 08/28/06 - A Special Message 08/11/06 - Who will save the Town of Ava? 07/21/06 - The Emperor isn't wearing any clothes! 06/10/06 - Honoring Flag Day 05/19/06 - Local Residents Demand Protection for Environment 05/12/06 - The Foundation for a Better Life 05/05/06 - ACAL will pursue justice 04/28/06 - "Tug Hill, A Threatened Paradise" 04/21/06 - NYS environmental law contradicts State action 04/13/06 - The Tug Hill Plateau is worth protecting! 03/22/06 - Press Release - OHSWA & Rifenburg Being Sued 02/24/06 - ACAL Finds NYSDEC Consent Out of Order 02/03/06 - ACAL Defends the Truth 01/02/06 - PRESS RELEASE 12/15/05 - ACAL Continues with its Mission 12/01/05 - Tug Hill Heritage 11/23/05 - Boonville Breaks Resolution 11/06/05 - October 2005 OHSWA meeting 10/28/05 - NYS Waste Disposal Policies Not Enforced 10/21/05 - Environmental Conservation Laws 10/12/05 - Response to Village Trustee 09/23/05 - OHSWA Permit Violations 09/16/05 - ACAL Misinformation 09/07/05 - Press Release: DEC Enforcement Action 08/24/05 - ACAL Misinformation 08/05/05 - It's never too late 07/22/05 - Citizens, stand strong - DO NOT NEGOTIATE! 07/15/05 - PRESS RELEASE - Problems on Ava Landfill Site 07/08/05 - The truth must be told 07/07/05 - WBRV Statement #5 - DANGER to our drinking water 07/06/05 - WBRV Statement #4 - Polluting landfills kill 07/05/05 - WBRV STATEMENT #3 - Boonville Poll Not Official 06/29/05 - WBRV Statement #2 - Landfills provide NO benefits 06/27/05 - WBRV Statement #1 -Towns must stick together 06/24/05 - Waste to energy facilities better alternative 06/17/05 - Boonville boards break agreement 06/17/05 - Slope failure sends mud into Moose Creek AGAIN! 06/12/05 - Environmentally safe alternatives to landfills 05/27/05 - Town of Ava will file an appeal 05/22/05 - Dynamite blasting on landfill site? 05/15/05 - Oneida County in Trouble 05/08/05 - FACTS and What You Can Do 05/01/05 - Community Gathers for Prayer Service 04/24/05 - Personal Letter to NYS Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi 04/17/05 - Power of Prayer 04/03/05 - The Waste Authority Must Be Stopped! 03/27/05 - Letter to NYS Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi 03/20/05 - OHSWA Propaganda 03/13/05 - Letter to Griffo - Put Words into Action! 03/06/05 - Get involved in your community 02/27/05 - Assemblyman Townsend Has Concerns Re: OHSWA 02/06/05 - Power of the Press 01/24/05 - Legislator Pam Mandryck Opposes SWA Reappointment 01/02/05 - Weeks of 1/2 - 1/16/05 12/22/04 - Response to letter 12/12/04 - Senator Ray Meier Favors Ava Landfill 11/28/04 - Proud Heritage 11/14/04 - Oneida County chooses - for the people, or not? 11/07/04 - Letters sent to Governor and NYS Senators 10/31/04 - Ava/Boonville future - NO DUMP! 10/28/04 - Letter to Governor Pataki 10/24/04 - Environment Justice All the Way! 10/22/04 - Press Release 10/17/04 - No Civil Rights for Ava Residents 10/10/04 - Article 78 Lawsuit Against DEC Commissioner Crotty 10/03/04 - 400+ Days and Still Fighting! 09/27/04 - Family Home Threatened 09/26/04 - Important Facts to Know About the Ava Landfill 09/19/04 - Letter from Concerned Citizen 09/12/04 - Small Town of Ava Dragged into Court by OHSWA 08/29/04 - Where Do Your Loyalities Lie? 08/22/04 - Beaver Dam Incident Still a Mystery 08/15/04 - Ava-Boonville-Lewis Joint Boards Resolution |
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