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In a surprise development early this week, 2 more municipalities have passed resolutions opposing gas storage on Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes wine and tourism region. The Town of Lyons in Wayne County and the Onondaga County Legislature (13-3) joined 28 other Towns, Counties, Villages and Cities across the Finger Lakes Region, bringing to 30 the number of municipalities representing a total of 1,080,573 NY State residents, firmly opposed to Texas based Crestwood Midstream's proposed industrialization of the Southwest shore of Seneca Lake .

This follows hard on the heels of the 1199 SEIU United Health Care Workers East passing a strongly worded resolution demanding that the NYS DEC deny permits for gas storage on Seneca Lake. The resolution passed unanimously by the Executive Committee of the SEIU and was sent to Governor Cuomo early last week.

"1199SEIU stands for addressing the crisis of climate change, and with that in mind we supported Gov. Cuomo's decision to ban the dangerous process of fracking in New York State," said 1199SEIU Executive Vice President, George Kennedy.  "Now, a Texas-based corporation, Crestwood Midstream plans to store LPG next to Seneca Lake and much of this will be trucked in or carried by railcars from fracking operations from out of state. This is unacceptable. We must demand that our political leaders and government stand to protect our environment, the health of our communities and to move toward renewable and sustainable methods of energy production"


With the majority of resolutions passing unanimously and across party lines, the opposition to this misguided and unnecessary gas storage proposal shows a united front in the hearts and minds of people all across the region in protecting Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes Region from a project that has a high potential for catastrophe with little to no benefit. To date, over 340 local and regional businesses are also on record opposing the plan.

"Honestly, where else can Governor Andrew Cuomo find such a shining example of bipartisan unity?" asked Yvonne Taylor, Vice President and Co-founder of Gas Free Seneca. "With 30 municipalities across the region opposing this project and the resolution by the1199 SEIU, a union of health care workers representing the largest local union in the world, it's time for Governor Cuomo to direct his DEC to deny permits for the project."

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