More Than 100 Organizations and 700 New Yorkers Demand Stronger Protections from Landfill Leachate

A coalition led by New York River Watch says the proposed regulations on leachate management is an important step, but New York must close loopholes and stop the perpetual cycling of toxic pollution. Kingston, NY — More than 100 organizations and 700 individuals have urged New York State to strengthen proposed regulations governing the management […]

Town of Saugerties Takes a Strong Stand on New York’s Leachate Regulations

The Town of Saugerties is taking a strong lead in calling for meaningful changes to New York’s proposed leachate management regulations. Town Supervisor Fred Costello said the Town supports applying the proposed regulations to closed (inactive) landfills and providing state funding for PFAS remediation. In a letter responding to the proposed DEC rule, Costello writes […]

DEC Denies Request for More Time on New Leachate Rules

  DEC says 70 days is enough. We disagree. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has denied our coalition’s request for an additional 30 days to review and comment on its proposed regulations governing the treatment and disposal of landfill leachate. DEC’s justification is remarkably brief: “Given the limited size of the […]

The Leachate Loophole: New Statewide Report Reveals Threats to New York’s Drinking Water — Join an Upcoming Webinar to Learn the Findings and How You Can Take Action

Join us for a special webinar unveiling of our major new statewide report, The Leachate Loophole in New York State, which exposes the regulatory failures creating the “leachate loophole”,  allowing poisonous “garbage water” from New York’s landfills to enter waterways across the state. There are two opportunities to attend are available on Thursday, August 13: […]

NYS Begins Rulemaking on Landfill Leachate Treatment Regulations: Public Comment Period, Request for Extension, and More

  On July 1, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officially opened the public comment period for its proposed landfill leachate treatment regulations. With the publication of the proposed rule, we have learned that the state is providing a little over 60 days for public comment-a disappointing timeframe given the scope and […]

21 Organizations Ask NYSDEC for More Time to Review Proposed Landfill Leachate Rule

Today, 21 environmental and community organizations sent a letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) asking the agency to provide a 90-day public comment period for its upcoming rule on how landfill leachate is treated and disposed of. The coalition submitted the request ahead of the rulemaking process beginning, asking the […]

Understanding the Risks of Using Leachate Residual as Landfill Cover

Takeaways As New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) develops rules requiring landfills to treat leachate prior to disposal at municipal Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), we must also address what will be done with the concentrated toxic contaminants  once they are removed.  The state has suggested that this concentrated material – sometimes called “residual” […]

New York’s PFAS Report: Ten Years of Progress?

At a Glance New York State is marking ten years of responding to PFAS with a progress report and public events The report lists many actions the state is taking and reflects an attempt at collaborative, comprehensive approach The milestone is a moment to ask: How did we get here in the first place? The […]