DEC adjudicatory hearings on CWM permit applications resume June 27

Residents for Responsible Government Inc. of Youngstown announced this week that the next series of virtual adjudicatory hearings covering permit applications filed by CWM Chemical Services LLC with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation would begin Tuesday, June 27.

CWM owns and operates its Model City facility in the towns of Porter and Lewiston. It is a duly permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage, disposal and recovery facility that accepts hazardous and nonhazardous waste.

RRG posted on its website, “From 1972 – 2015, Niagara County, New York hosted one of the largest PCB and toxic waste landfill operations in the U.S. The CWM landfill was forced to close in 2015 due to the support and efforts of the community. CWM has applied for a massive new 6 million-ton PCB and toxic waste landfill, referred to as RMU-2, which state and federal agencies conclude is not needed.”

RRG said CWM has been pursuing applications for the past several years with the state DEC as it seeks to reopen its Balmer Road operations: “CWM proposes to construct and operate a new Residuals Management Unit-Two (RMU-2) landfill occupying approximately 43.5 acres at its Model City facility. For this proposal, CWM filed permit applications with the Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as an application for a Certificate of Environmental Safety and Public Necessity.”

The applications continue under adjudication review by the DEC Office of Hearings and Mediation Services under the direction of Daniel P. O’Connell, administration law judge.

RRG spokesman Vince Agnello said, “The next CWM hearing will cover truck traffic and noise.”

The hearing will open at 1 p.m. June 27 and continue as needed daily through Friday, June 30. It will be held virtually using a WebEx audiovisual conference platform.

Participation at the virtual hearing is limited to designated parties. RRG said members of the public are welcome to attend the hearing via the internet or listen by phone. RRG said that login instructions would change for each day the hearing takes place.

To join the June 27 meeting online via the internet, visit www.webex.com and click “Join a meeting,” then input the appropriate event number for the hearing. The webinar number for this event is 161 745 6068; the password is c6rA53p75Ym.

Those wishing to join the June 27 session by phone should dial 1-518-549-0500. The access code is 161 745 6068 and the password is 26725377.

If needed, to join the June 28 session online, visit www.webex.com, click “Join a meeting” and again input the designated event number and password. The webinar number for this event is 161 628 8422 and the password is FQjyFMMV432.

Phone instructions for the June 28 event are: dial 1-518-549-5000; and input access code 161 628 8422, followed by the password: 37593668.

For the June 29 session, if needed, visit www.webex.com, and click “Join a meeting” followed by the webinar event number: 161 019 1465; and password: P2mPbsFTa64.

Phone instructions are: dial 1-518-549-0500, input access code 161 019 1465, followed by password 72672738.

For the June 30 session, again if needed, visit www.webex.com, click “Join a meeting” followed by the webinar event number: 161 581 1058; followed by the password: BkS7em6xQv5.

Phone instructions are: dial 1-518-549-0500, input access code 161 581 1058, followed by the password: 25773669.

For more information, contact O'Connell at the Office of Hearings and Mediation Services, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, 1st Floor, Albany, NY 12233-1550. Call 518-402-9003 or email [email protected].