The most effective way to voice our concerns is to file odor complaints.

The best way to ensure that the town, conservation board, and NYSDEC are aware of issues at High Acres is to file a complaint as soon as an odor is detected. Since the fall of 2017, FAFE has started to track complaints on our own. This allows us to ensure complaint statistics are captured and reported accurately. To help streamline this effort for the community, we have created several methods that allow neighbors to file a complaint to both FAFE and all relevant parties in a matter of moments.

How to file a complaint:

Option 1: Use Your Smartphone for an Odor You Smell Right Now

Available for free on iPhone and Android devices, our App allows you to report odors in real-time. Simply open the App and click 'report' anytime you are experiencing an odor. Please make sure to always report with an email. This ensures both FAFE and WM's records are updated accordingly. 

Option 2: File a Complaint After the Fact

If you smelled an odor and were unable to log it at the time, please do so the page linked below. Please note; the email option will only work if you have a mail client (for example, Outlook). For any web based email clients (such as gmail.com), you will need to manually send the email and we would ask that you please refer to Option 3 below. 

 

Option 3: Manually Email Your Complaint

Please include the address where the odor occurred as well as the time and date that you noticed the smell. It is imperative that all of the following contacts are included in your email;

  • jrichard3@wm.com - HIGH ACRES SENIOR DISTRICT MANAGER

  • Tgrossma@wm.com - HIGH ACRES OPERATIONS MANAGER

  • TBD - HIGH ACRES COMMUNICATIONS & MUNICIPAL RELATIONS MANAGER

  • HighAcresNotifications@gmail.com - HIGH ACRES ODOR NOTIFICATIONS INBOX

  • channa@perinton.org - TOWN OF PERINTON SUPERVISOR

  • JKENNEDY@PERINTON.ORG - TOWN OF PERINTON COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS

  • tboard@macedontown.net - MACEDON TOWN BOARD

  • mgarland@monroecounty.gov - DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, MONROE COUNTY

  • monroe11@monroecounty.gov - MONROE COUNTY LEGISLATOR - 11th DISTRICT

  • Brouk@nysenate.gov - NYS SENATE - 55th DISTRICT

  • Helming@nysenate.gov - NYS SENATE - 54th DISTRICT

  • lunsfordj@nyassembly.gov - NYS ASSEMBLY - 135th DISTRICT

  • manktelowb@nyassembly.gov - NYS ASSEMBLY - 130th DISTRICT

  • paul.damato@dec.ny.gov - NYSDEC REGION 8 DIRECTOR

  • basil.seggos@dec.ny.gov - NYSDEC REGION 8 COMMISSIONER

  • greg.maclean@dec.ny.gov - NYSDEC REGION 8 MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ENGINEER

  • dec.sm.HighAcresLandfill@dec.ny.gov - NYSDEC HIGH ACRES ODOR COMPLAINT INBOX

  • hj.merlo@yahoo.com - FAFE EMAIL COMPLAINT CONTACT

Option 4: Call the WM/NYSDEC Odor Complaint Hotline

The NYSDEC has created an odor complain hotline at (585) 453-2416. The DEC believes this method provides a more formal and comprehensive complaint response process to address issues and concerns of residents living near the High Acres Landfill. This complaint system is supposed to allow the DEC to respond directly to complaints, evaluate the situation, and talk directly to residents.

We believe that this hotline is now completely funded and run by Waste Management. More than ever, should you choose this option, we strongly urge you to also file a complaint with the app or send an email. Both the app and emails provide us with a paper trail to properly record your complaint along with the rest the complaints from our group.

Option 5: Remind Your Representatives of Your Frustrations 

We have found it is a lot harder for our representatives to ignore our pleas, if it is done on the phone. Thankfully, a FAFE member was gracious enough to supply us a recommended script and the appropriate phone numbers.

  • Ciaran Hanna, Town Supervisor - 585-223-0770

  • Rich Funke, State Senator - 585-223-1800

  • Mark Johns, State Assemblyman - 585-223-1800

  • Sean Delehanty, County Legislator -585-753-1922

"Hi I'm [Your Name] and I am a resident of [Perinton, Fairport, Macedon, Penfield, Walworth, or give your address]. I am demanding that you find a way to help residents of this town return to some sort of quality of life from the horrendous stench we are dealing with DAY and NIGHT from the High Acres land fill. The landfill is bothering us 24/7 and while they keep saying it will get better, it is only getting worse. I can no longer wait for them to keep trying to patch up and fix up their problems at the cost of our homes and quality of life.

[Share your current personal story here if you would like. Some examples include - this is affecting our house, daily activities, school day, ability to sleep, ability to breath, we can't go outside.]

As a resident and one of your constituents, I demand transparency in actions and communications with Waste Management, and that you look for more support from the NYSDEC, EPA and any other officials that you can take this to. I pay taxes to this town and county and deserve to be able to be protected from harm by a private company. If they can't fix it - they need to be shut down. I am asking you to do your job and support our community.

 

Option 6: File a Complaint for Seneca Meadows (Waterloo, NY Landfill) or Casella (Ontario County Landfill)

Should you experience an odor event in the areas of Seneca Meadows or Casella and are looking to file a complaint, please visit https://itstinks.org/ and follow the instructions listed on the page.