Who We Are and Why We Fight
Our Mission
To eliminate imported waste as a central feature of our economy, thus safeguarding our neighborhoods from related environmental and health hazards.
Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Times
The Region’s Story.
Located in West-central New York State, the Finger Lakes region is normally thought of as a tourist destination, boasting rolling hills, deep gorges, stunning waterfalls, acres of parks, vineyards and forests, picturesque farms, water sports of all kinds, world-renowned (150+) wineries and, of course, its lakes.
Shaped like the fingers on a hand, these lakes (11 in total) were carved out by glaciers at the end of the last ice age. See example Finger Lake at right, and note our logo, top left, showing Seneca County stretching north and south between the two largest of these Finger Lakes.
While natural beauty of this kind is of course not itself a reason why landfill companies would come here, relatedly, the region’s open spaces, low population, low-cost disposal fees, and local (mostly farming) communities desperate for revenue seem to have done the trick.
The Town Story
The Seneca Meadows Inc. mega-landfill is located in the towns of Waterloo and Seneca Falls, NY.
Seneca Falls, NY is known for being the site of the first women's rights convention in the United States.
In July 1848, about 300 people attended the Seneca Falls Convention, which was organized by women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and attended by prominent abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass (see photo).
The convention led to a national discussion about women's rights and the beginning of a national civil rights (women's suffrage) movement that lasted for over 70 years.
Meanwhile, in 1866, the adjacent town, Waterloo, NY, named after Waterloo, Belgium, where Napoleon was defeated, held this nation’s first formal observance of Memorial Day, honoring local Civil War veterans.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson and Congress officially recognized Waterloo as the birthplace of Memorial Day, which everyone today celebrates as a national holiday.
In addition, Waterloo is also the birthplace of the Mormon religion, which originated on the Peter Whitmer farm two miles south of Waterloo.
It is nothing short of a true American tragedy and a national disgrace that anyone would agree to make these two towns the central depository for New York State’s garbage, a third of which comes from New York City, and other places as far away as Canada.
It is a desecration of hallowed ground, the memory of Waterloo’s Civil War dead, and those in Seneca Falls who fought for the fundamental right to liberty and equality for all people, regardless of race or gender.Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Times
The Group's Story
Initially formed in response to landfill threats, Concerned Citizens of Seneca County, Inc. (CCSC) is a not-for-profit local movement of supporters, members and activists who are committed to promoting the health and quality of life of the Seneca County region of New York State (as well as neighboring counties) by ensuring their air, soil, water and environment are clean and healthful.
We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations.
We believe no individual should have to stand alone when the quality of life in his or her neighborhood is threatened.
To this end, CCSC has also partnered with several other environmental groups, including Seneca Falls Environmental Action Committee in Seneca Falls, NY, Seneca Lake Guardian in Watkins Glen, NY, and Finger Lakes Zero Waste Coalition, Inc. in Ontario County.
Each group’s logo is shown to the left against—no, not a picture of an alpine ski slope—but of a mountain built with 3,000 tons a day of trash deliveries, better known as the Ontario County landfill.
The Latest Story: Summer of 2025 (Key Takeaways)
While currently scheduled to close at the end of 2025, Seneca Meadows landfill has submitted an expansion proposal (“valley infill”), followed by a proposed DEIS, that would allow for an additional 30 million tons of garbage to be dumped over the next 15 years, primarily atop a former toxic waste site.
The proposal is driven by NY State’s growing waste crisis due to (1) other state landfills nearing capacity or closing operations, and (2) the state’s continued failure to follow its own policies of landfill waste diversion and reduction.
Consequently, the expansion has sparked strong opposition from environmental groups and local residents—people who refuse to bear the burden of yet another generation of imported mega-trash and environmental risk.
Yet despite this resistance, the expansion has already cleared some early regulatory hurdles—with more approvals possible. What happens next is critical: the decision on whether to allow the expansion will shape not only the future of Seneca County, but also set a precedent for future waste policy across New York State.
Here’s what matters most: Town of Seneca Falls’ Local Law No. 3 of 2016, which prohibits waste disposal in Seneca Falls, NY after December 31, 2025, remains the law of the land. Any attempt to expand flies in the face of Local Law No. 3, and undermines the clear will of the people.
Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Times
We are at a decisive moment. The window to act is closing. We can stop this expansion—but only if we act together, and act now.
Please join us in raising your voice and drawing the line—say NO to the expansion.
Sign the petition. Chip in. Join the resistance.
Or better yet—do all three.
Proud to Share a Few Faces from Our Team
Our work is built on collaboration, compassion, and community — and we couldn’t do it without a dedicated crew. Here’s a small glimpse of some of the people driving our mission forward.
President
Glen Silver
Director
Barbara Wagner
Director
Douglas A. Avery
Director
Jean Gilroy
Social Media Manager
Louis Smith
Community Voices
Do you want this for YOUR children and grandchildren? It is yet another example of a FEW people reaping MORE wealth at the expense of the majority. …would their upper management be willing to live next to the dump? Why is it they expect the community to put up with the filth and smell and health risks they themselves would not?