Seneca County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Shipley tackled a familiar item at Tuesday’s meeting during his remarks. The proposed Circular enerG incinerator was condemned again – this time receiving open criticism during open session, two consecutive nights – in Seneca and Schuyler counties.
While he recognized and thanked U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer for his support in attending a press conference at a local winery – he used it as an opportunity to call for more assertive leadership from Albany on the matter involving a potential incinerator between Seneca and Cayuga lakes.
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“The more important message to our Albany representatives must be – Any decision to place a trash burning Incinerator in the heart of the Finger Lakes should be a “Home rule decision” made by the local Town Board members who answer directly to the local families affected,” he explained. ” This highly profound environmental issue should not be allowed to be decided by any political appointed Albany Commission who would not have the best interests of families and the future of the entire Finger Lakes region as a consequence,” he added, referring to the Public Service Commission – who is slated to field the Article 10 request to circumvent that ‘home rule’.
The night before, the Schuyler County Legislature also voted to oppose the placement of an incinerator at the former Seneca Army Depot site. The $365 million facility would feature a smoke stack that would be hundreds of feet high, and would be located mere feet from a K-12 school.
Seneca Lake Guardian Vice President Yvonne Taylor added, ““We applaud Schuyler County for joining the opposition to the misguided waste incinerator on Seneca Lake. Twenty-nine local governments, Governor Cuomo and Senators Gillibrand and Schumer have all said burning 3,000 tons of trash a day would be bad for our growing wine and tourism economy.” She continued, “Our local elected officials are proposing legislation in Albany that would protect the Finger Lakes from the proposed garbage incinerator in Romulus. We urge the Senate and Assembly leadership to bring this legislation for a vote before the end of session. It is critical that this bill pass both the Senate and Assembly before they leave Albany next week.”
