This petition supports the cleanup of Onondaga Lake, but not at the expense of the community and habitat of Central New York. The industrial waste and toxins that are to be dredged from the bottom of Onondaga Lake will be pumped through pipes less than 2 miles away to a waste dump known as Wastebed 13. This wastebed has historically been used to dump industrial and hazardous waste. The waste has entered the ground water and local waterways that dump to Onondaga Lake. The cleanup plan selected by DEC only sets the waste in place to potentially again contaminate local ground water and the Onondaga Lake as well as the ground and air. The health risk to Central New York is cause for alarm. The damage to wildlife and the environment will also stretch far beyond the local area.
This petition seeks an alternative solution for the cleanup of Onondaga Lake. The alternative must not endanger the citizens and habitat of Central New York or any other community. Therefore, we propose that the sediment dredged and/or otherwise removed from the lake, it's tributaries and any upland area be transported by rail to an existing registered hazardous waste facility outside of the Central New York area, where it can be handled and stored safely according to EPA guidelines.
