For Release: Monday, September 8, 2008
DEC Sets Hearings on Draft Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan
Ten Opportunities Provided Statewide For Public Participation and Comments
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced 10 dates for hearings in October and November on the state's draft Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Plan and draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) that were recently made available for public review.
The draft Siting Plan assesses the state's capacity for managing hazardous waste in accordance with State and Federal law in order to assure adequate availability of industrial hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities into the future. The final adoption of a Siting Plan is a prerequisite for the siting or significant expansion of certain new hazardous waste management facilities in New York.
The draft GEIS is the document that evaluates and addresses any potential impacts the Siting Plan may have on the environment. The GEIS, however, does not replace the need for a separate and distinct site-specific environmental review for the siting or expansion of any hazardous waste management facility.
Both the draft GEIS and Siting Plan are available on the DEC website.
The hearings announced today will provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Siting Plan. All persons, organizations, corporations, government agencies, and others which wish to comment on the proposed Siting Plan are invited to attend the hearings and to submit either written or oral statements.
The hearing locations are accessible to the mobility-impaired. Interpreter services can be made available to the hearing-impaired, at no charge, upon request to the Department within a reasonable time period prior to the hearings. Time limits may be set for each speaker to afford everyone an opportunity to be heard. Lengthy statements should be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. Written statements received prior to the close of the public comment period and oral statements made at each hearing session will be given equal weight when DEC reviews the comments and determines if changes may be necessary to the draft plan.
Following this round of hearings, DEC will respond to the comments, make any changes needed to the document, and schedule a second round of hearings throughout the state. The timeline for the second set of hearings and comment period will be largely dependent on issues raised in first round of public comments and the resulting need for further analysis and revision.
The hearings will be held at the following times and locations:
| Region and Address | Date and Time |
|---|---|
| NYSDEC Region 1 50 Circle Road Room B-02 Stony Brook, NY 11790 (631) 444-0345 |
November 13, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 2 Office 11-15 47th Avenue Annex Building Basement Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 482-4900 |
November 12, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 3 Office New Paltz Annex Enclave 4 21 South Putt Corners Rd. New Paltz, NY 12561 (845) 256-3000 |
November 3, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 4 Office 1130 North Westcott Rd. Conference Room 1A Schenectady, NY 12306 (518) 357-2234 |
October 27, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 5 Office Main Conference Room Route 86 Ray Brook, NY 12977 (518) 897-1200 |
October 28, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 6 Office Dulles State Office Building 1st Floor Conference Room 317 Washington St. Watertown, NY 13601 (315) 785-2238 |
October 29, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 7 Office Hearing Room 615 Erie Boulevard West Syracuse, NY 13204 (315) 426-7400 |
November 6, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 8 Office Main Conference Room 6274 East Avon-Lima Road Avon, NY 14414-9519 (585) 226-2466 |
November 5, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 9 Niagara Falls Public Library Main Auditorium, Earl W. Brydges Bldg. 1425 Main St. Niagara Falls, NY 14305 (716) 286-4905 |
November 19, 2008 6 p.m. |
| NYSDEC Region 9 Lewiston-Porter High School 4061 Creek Road Youngstown, NY 14174 (716) 754-8281 |
November 20, 2008 6 p.m. |
The deadline for the submission of written comments is the close of business on
November 26, 2008. Comments can be sent to John Iannotti, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-7250. They can also be faxed to (518) 402-9024 or e-mailed to HWSiting@gw.dec.state.ny.us .
