This column is directed at some of our key institutions in the region. I want to speak to our community leaders about the most important development/s in our recent history that will affect the long-term future and viability of the north Seneca Lake Region of the Finger Lakes.

Yes, I am talking about the landfills.

Here is the deal. If one Googles the distance between the City of Geneva and the Seneca Meadows landfill, it reports a distance of about 6.9 miles. Even worse, Waterloo (less than 2 miles) and Seneca Falls (less then 4 miles) exist in the shadow of SMI, well within its deposition range. For the Ontario County landfill, Google reports that the distance is about 5.7 miles from Geneva.

One of the biggest problems with the consideration of extending the lives of these two mega-landfills is the analysis of the air-quality impacts of these structures. Public servants and regulatory officials do not give enough consideration to the impacts of this factor because it is hard to quantify and it costs money to conduct viable studies. And we have to recognize that while New York State has, over the last 25 years, worked to consolidate roughly 1,600 landfills to reduce regulatory burden and increase efficiency, it has violated one of the cardinal rules of pollution impacts — “The solution to pollution is dilution.” We now have 27........

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