The Concerned Citizens of Cattaraugus County:
Humble Beginnings and Hopes for the Future
(1/2/2009) By Lois Ann Zendarski

Lies, deceit, greed and community upheaval brought about the humble beginnings of what is now known as the environmental watchdog group for Cattaraugus County. The Concerned Citizens of Cattaraugus County, (CCCC), had its beginnings in the late 1980s as a grassroots response to an impending environmental disaster that was carefully and skillfully orchestrated by a Buffalo based trash collecting firm that had known ties to organized crime.

Under the friendly guise of building a campground in Farmersville, New York and promising job security at the future campground, two Farmersville residents were approached in 1989 by Integrated Waste Services (IWS) and a Buffalo-based junkyard dealer who had a camp in the town. The camp neighbors to the east and west, Leah Burlingame and Robyn Burrell both sold their land to these agents.

In the Spring of 1989, both heard William Heitzenrater of IWS and Kenneth Leffler, the junkyard agent, at the Farmersville town board meeting telling the audience that they were working on behalf of IWS and were going to use the recently acquired property as a landfill, trucking in as much as 3,000 tons of metropolitan garbage. They promised the people of the town that they could live in the town free of town, county and property taxes. They would be able to dump their garbage with no fee in the local landfill as well. The prospect of being virtually tax-free delighted many of the residents. When asked about the water quality of water wells for personal use, Heitzenrater offered a different perspective. Heitzenrater reported that the pristine quality of the water was what IWS was looking for because it would take longer for that water to become contaminated. (by the landfill runoff)

It wasn’t long after this time (late in 1991 or early 1992) that the Burrell family was evicted from their land that they sold to IWS with the promise of a job at the campground.

In the Summer of 1990, an environmental group based in Olean, informed the Farmersville Town board of IWS’ background, but a deal with the trash collection firm had already been started. Later that year, the Town Clerk happened across a local ordinance from 1953 banning landfills in the town that was believed to be still in effect. IWS sued the town and before the year was out, the old law was repealed and the town of Farmersville enacted local laws more to the liking of IWS. IWS agreed to drop the two lawsuits in exchange for a commitment from the town to grant a local landfill permit.
Town board meetings became heated, tumultuous, stretching on into the night, with standing room only and sometimes police deputies attended. The issue tore apart families and the community at large.

 
1991 saw the formation of the Concerned Citizens of Cattaraugus County, organized and incorporated to bring the true facts to the public about the landfill proposal and took the official position of opposition against it. Then CCCC members attended the town board meetings, demanding accountability and accusing the board members of being the ruination of their formerly close-knit community by making plans and taking action with IWS behind closed doors.

Then Supervisor Duane Hooper continually reminded the group of the possibility of more IWS lawsuits against the town.
 
The CCCC began its public relations campaign to increase its membership, become fully educated regarding environmental injustices and obtain steady financial resources to help fund these efforts. Hundreds joined. People who were philosophically opposed on political and social issues put aside their differences and came together on this topic. A remarkable culture of community was evident for several years during this time. A true neighborhood had formed and it was healthy and upbeat. Regular newsletters, flyers, bake sales, editorials, radio talk shows and educational talks to school and civic groups all played an important part in CCCCs role.
 
The statement of purpose of the CCCC was:
 
To assure Cattaraugus County’s air, soil, water and environment is clean and healthful, and to advocate with the public and governments that policies be implemented and that laws be passed to assure such a clean and healthful environment; to assure that local, state and federal environmental protection laws are enforced; to encourage skills for citizen advocacy for a clean and healthful environment.
 
The primary focus was to protect the waters of the Ischua Valley area, the headwaters located at the Farmersville site. The drinking water of the people of Farmersville, Franklinville, Ischua, Hinsdale and Olean were in jeopardy. The proposed landfill could destroy this area’s source of fresh, clean water.
 
The fight continued on various levels for the next two decades, still threatening the people of the area with the possibility of the monster landfill coming to Cattaraugus County. Garbage would be trucked into the small farming community from as far away as New York City and Toronto. Not only would the landfill be a detriment to the area, but the trucks needed to haul the garbage to the landfill would cause pollution and hazards to the area.
 
The CCCC members were a regular presence at town board meetings. Door-to-door surveys of local wells were done by the group members who collected landowner records of drilling to show that the groundwater table was too high, prohibiting a landfill.
 
Fast forward to the new millennium. The fight against the landfill continued and rallies of ‘Dump the Dump’ were still to be heard. In 2004 adjudicatory hearings were finally held by the DEC. Public comments were heard in both Allegany, New York and in Franklinville, New York bringing nearly 1500 people to both meetings. Dozens of people spoke against having a landfill in their community. People from all walks of life and from all age groups got up to speak their minds against the dump while Heitzenrater, IWS lawyer Gregory Photiadis, and their paid consultants looked on and listened. 
 
People began to think that the dump was a ‘done deal’, when in fact, it was no closer to getting permitted than it was two decades before.” Wetlands were in jeopardy as well as the habitat of trout in Carpenter Brook but a DEC issues conference in 2004 in Machias brought out inconsistencies in IWS’ plan and the administrative law judge ordered additional new permits. This would also require new public review. In a bankruptcy proceeding, it was found that IWS owed over $1 million to URS Greiner the firm hired to prepare IWS’ permit applications.  
 
However, in January of 2008, IWS defaulted on taxes and the 430 acre parcel of property on Route 98 in Farmersville became the property of the people of Cattaraugus County. Its future use has yet to be decided.
 
The CCCC celebrates the conclusion of the dump fight, but continues to be the eyes and ears of environmental issues in Cattaraugus County. The health of county residents is the foremost factor in determining whether an issue will be backed by the CCCC. The CCCC board members do extensive research into learning more about sensitive environmental issues.
 
With a mission misunderstood by some, the focus of the CCCC remains the health and well being of county residents and presenting factual information to the public. From clean water and air, the upholding of local laws and ordinances with regard to environmental concerns, the group has been tackling a variety of potential problems. Education is one of the CCCC’s most important functions. Holding regularly scheduled meetings around the county, they meet to discuss an array of environmental problems. Their statement of purpose remains the same as it always--- to assure that Cattaraugus County’s air, soil, water and environment is clean and healthful, and to be advocates with the public.

As sociologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
 
Please join us at our next scheduled meeting of the CCCC. Consider becoming a member. Our next meeting is at 7 P.M. on January 8th at The Pines Health Care Facility dining room on W. Main St. in Olean. The CCCC mailing address is: CCCC, P.O. Box 23, Franklinville, NY 14737