CWM adjudicatory hearings continue on Sept. 14

The Niagara County environmental group Residents for Responsible Government Inc. announced a third New York State Department of Environmental Conservation adjudicatory hearing to determine the future of CWM Chemical Services in Porter will take place this month. Sessions will be available for viewing online and on audio via telephone.

Scheduled to take place from Sept. 14-16, the hearing is expected to address issues in the public interest, “consisting primarily of CWM’s version of transportation costs, carbon footprint and economic impacts. Further hearings thereafter may include radiation risk, air emissions, noise/traffic, and real estate impairment that would occur from massive landfill operations proposed by CWM,” RRG stated in a release.

The adjudicatory hearings began earlier this year and have centered on issues requested by the state DEC Hazardous Waste Siting Board concerning CWM applications. The first session was held April 11-12 and featured discussion on whether CWM applications would deter more preferable economic development in the towns of Lewiston and Porter. A second virtual hearing took place July 6-8 and Aug. 31-Sept. 2. It addressed geology and hydrogeology risks related to the direction and speed of contaminated groundwater.

CWM, operated by Waste Management, has had pending applications with the state DEC for a number of years. The company ceased operations in 2015 with the closure of its residuals management unit one landfill and is now seeking state DEC approval to build a new RMU-2 landfill and return hazardous waste landfilling to Niagara County.

“A decision date cannot be predicted at this time. However, it is anticipated that all hearings will be concluded this year with the final decision in 2023,” RRG noted.

Residents are able to view the hearings online. Visit http://www.webex.com/, click “Join a meeting,” and input the appropriate event number and password for the hearing. The event number for the Sept. 14 hearing is: 2350 952 9417; password: Sept14-10AM.

The hearing will also be accessible via phone. Dial 1-518-549-0500 and input access code 2350 952 9417 to listen to the proceedings.

If needed, the hearings would continue Sept. 15. To view the session, visit http://www.webex.com/, click “Join a meeting,” and input event number 2358 721 4824; password: Sept15-10AM for the hearing. To listen by phone, dial 1-518-549-0500 and input access code 2358 721 4824.

Should it be necessary, the hearings will also take place Sept. 16. To view online, visit http://www.webex.com/, click “Join a meeting,” and input event number 2356 295 8905; password: Sept16-10AM. To listen via phone, dial 1-518-549-0500 and input access code 2356 295 8905.

For more information, visit RRG at www.RRG.org.