Should Seneca Meadows get a permit extension?

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The Seneca Meadows Landfill, located in the town of Seneca Falls in Seneca County, is the largest operating landfill in New York. Established in 1953, it has a permitted waste capacity of 6,000 tons per day. The landfill will reach capacity by the end of 2025, coinciding with the expiration of its existing permit.

Seneca Meadows, owned by Texas-based Waste Connections, is in the process of applying for an extension and modification of its permit. Its Valley Infill project would add an additional 15 years to the life of the landfill at its current daily capacity. For a detailed description of the project, see the Draft Final Environmental Impact Statement, released July 29. 

The extension of the permit is very controversial in the community. While the existence of the landfill brings significant truck traffic and generates odor and noise, Seneca Meadows also makes substantial payments to local governments, significantly reducing local property taxes. 

In this Up for Debate, we present two opposing views on the proposed extension of Seneca Meadows’ permit.

It’s time to close Seneca Meadows

By Yvonne Taylor

New York’s largest landfill is devastating our local environment and contributing to climate change on a global scale.

Seneca Meadows is helping New York reach its environmental goals

By Kyle Black

Seneca Meadows doesn’t produce waste. The men and women who work there do the essential work of safely and responsibly managing these materials.

2 thoughts on “Should Seneca Meadows get a permit extension?

  1. The decision should be left exclusively up to the residents of Seneca Falls. If they are willing to accept all of the negatives in return for lower taxes and lower housing values then that’s there business.

  2. Check out where the trash come from? It’s down state. The tail wagging the dog. Now whom do you think is more important, down state or local residents? Right, down state. The residents in the area of the landfill are but sacrificial lambs for the down state populace and….big business. Climate change is a convenient excuse for some things and justification for others. Climate change is regional you know. NYC is concerned about the climate change issue in their region. You people whining because you are is being threatened with poor water, odor etc. get over it. NYC rules and big business thrives at the cost of a few. Life is good, for the masses.

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