Perinton Town Board Meeting - 3/14/18

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On the heels of their recent Press Release, this Wednesday, the Town of Perinton presented the community with another update on Waste Management (WM) during their Town Board Meeting. 

The Perinton Conservation Board (PCB) came prepared with a letter to the Town Board. This letter provided an update on two key items:

  1. Growing concerns from the Fairport Little League around air quality
  2. The looming deadline for remediation efforts at High Acres

In meetings this week with Town Officials, the Fairport Little League expressed concerns around the potential health impacts to children at the two baseball complexes in close proximity to the landfill. In their letter, the PCB has recommended that real-time testing at both fields be included in the WM air monitoring plans, and be done in conjunction with previously mandated area school testing. 

In their letter, the PCB also provided the following 4 additions to their Jan 16 Conservation Board recommendations:

  • Immediately suspend municipal solid waste at the facility, including Cells 10, 11 and 12
  • Waste Management would continue operating the residential waste drop-off area, but would dispose of the municipal solid waste at another NYSDEC-permitted landfill at Waste Management’s expense.
  • NYSDEC would monitor the gas collection performance of Cells 10 and 11 for at least a year before reinstating municipal waste disposal in Cell 12.
  • NYSDEC to reduce the landfill’s municipal solid waste tonnage rate until Waste Management can demonstrate it can manage these wastes without odors.

The Town subsequently accepted the above recommendations, and moved to forward the PCB letter and recommendations to the NYSDEC. Their press release summarizing their intentions can be viewed here.

FAFE would like to note that the PCB and Town of Perinton's recommendations are only recommendations. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DO NOT INCLUDE COMPLETE AND PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE HIGH ACRES LANDFILL. The DEC and WM have not yet committed to, and are not required to implement any of these actions at this time. 

FAFE director Gary McNeil also spoke at the Wednesday meeting, recommending increased visibility to Town Meetings via live-stream or video recording. A recommendation also made by Macedon FAFE members to the Macedon Town board. Mr. McNeil further stressed community concerns and growing frustration over increased intake from NYC. He believes public understanding that the majority of intake comes from out-of-area trains would help to bring a more positive light to the issue, and address the public perception that this is a regional issue. 

Looking for more information on the events after this week's Perinton Town Board meeting?

  • FAFE has released an official statement to the media, found here.
  • Perinton Town Board Agendas and Meeting Minutes can be found here. (For official 3/14/18 PTB minutes click here.)
  • For FAFE-recorded streams of the meeting, please check our YouTube page.