Archive: News

Geneva, NY - Senator Pam Helming announced Wednesday that the Finger Lakes region's fight to block a proposed garbage incinerator project from moving forward at the former Seneca Army Depot in the Town of Romulus continues. Her bill to prevent Circular EnerG from obtaining a permit to build an incinerator that would require the daily delivery of more than 2,500 tons of trash to operate has advanced through the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee. It will now go before the Senate for a vote.

"The fight to stop this misguided proposal that would devastate the surrounding communities continues. This is a moment of celebration for the entire Finger Lakes region and all those who believe in clean water, clean air, and a high quality of life for our children and families. Ever since this project first came before the Romulus Planning Board, I have worked with local residents, environmental advocates, and business owners to craft this legislation and gain support for it. We brought together many diverse groups, including statewide business organizations and environmental advocacy groups, who are typically on opposite sides of the table to make sure that this project never happens and never has a chance of happening. The Finger Lakes Community Preservation Act, as the legislation is known, supports residents and business owners who are fearful of the impact this project would have on public health, the environment, their businesses, and the value of their property. Most importantly, it protects the children of Romulus who would have been forced to go to school next to a smokestack releasing who knows what. Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, this is not a political issue. We need to continue putting the people first, not politics. Thank you to Senator May for her partnership on this important legislation and to my colleagues on the Energy and Telecommunications Committee for working to advance this legislation," Helming said.

Washington, DC - Congressman Tom Reed announced Tuesday his bills to officially designate the National Comedy Center in Jamestown and the Finger Lakes Region as a National Heritage Area (NHA) passed the House.  Both bills now head to the President's desk to be signed into law.

"Both the National Comedy Center in Jamestown and the Finger Lakes are places we enjoy and appreciate, and want ensure they receive the proper recognition," Tom said. "We care about ensuring both of these have a fair shot at boosting their local economies and creating jobs – and this is why we pushed this legislation in Washington."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Monday, fulfilled his promise to sign the Red Flag Bill, a key component of his 2019 Justice Agenda, within the first 100 days of the new legislative session. The Red Flag Bill, also known as the extreme risk protection order bill, prevents individuals who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing any kind of firearm. This legislation builds on New York's strongest in the nation gun laws and makes New York the first in the United States to empower its teachers and school administrators to prevent school shootings by pursuing court intervention.

"The United States loses more people to gun deaths than most developed nations. The first year of President Trump's administration, we lost 40,000 people to gun deaths - the highest number in 50 years. New York led the way by passing the strongest gun safety laws in the nation, but more must be done to end this carnage," Cuomo said. "Today New York is proud to pass the first-in-the-nation Red Flag Bill that empowers school teachers to do something when they believe something bad is going to happen. We are empowering teachers not by giving them guns like the President wants - but by arming and empowering them with the law, so when a teacher or family member sees there is a problem, they can go to a judge and get a court-ordered evaluation. The Red Flag Bill will save lives and doesn't infringe on anybody's rights and it is common sense."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced yesterday that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released proposed regulations to improve air quality and protect public health with new, stringent requirements on peak-use power plants. The proposal will substantially reduce emissions from the "peaking" power plants operating on the hottest days with the most air pollution. These dirty, inefficient plants, are also major sources of carbon pollution. Transitioning away from them is a critical component of achieving Cuomo's nation-leading Green New Deal. These regulations will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and shift to 100% clean electricity by 2040.

"Climate change is a frightening reality, and while the federal administration buries its head in the sand, New York is taking action to protect our environment and the health of our residents," Cuomo said. "These proposed regulations are a critical step toward getting older, dirty power plants off the grid in the state's most vulnerable areas, and demonstrates New York's leadership in developing a clean energy economy and healthier communities for generations to come."

Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso thanked families Monday for being flexible during weather related school delays.  Monday's wind storm caused power outages across the region.  Pettograsso said that included the Lansing school campus, but the two hour delay was sufficient to make sure everything was working when students arrived at school two hours later than usual.

"We called a delay around 7:15," she reported. "Everybody went with it and were very supportive and helpful.  It was well orchestrated, so I appreciated that."

Washington, DC - Congressman Tom Reed announced Wednesday that he cosponsored the bipartisan Mental Health Services for Students Act to fund on-site mental health services for youth in schools nationwide after hearing from Dundee School Superintendent Kelly Houck concerning the "crisis" facing Yates County due to lack of access to mental health care for students.

"There are few things more important than ensuring the young people we care about have fair access to the resources they need to succeed in school, including mental health care," Reed said. "When we heard from Superintendent Houck about the lack of mental health care available to students in Yates County we immediately jumped into action and looked for ways we could help address this undeniable need."

Washington, DC - A bipartisan group of Members of Congress, led by Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), introduced a resolution Wednesday to claw back power from the Executive Branch. By amending the National Emergencies Act, Congress will have to approve any new emergency declaration within 60 days – similar to the War Powers Act. The resolution aims to end the practice of governing by national emergency.

"This resolution is not a rebuke of President Trump's national emergency declaration – the drugs, violence and human trafficking speak for themselves in regards to the true crisis we are facing. This resolution speaks to the politicization of Congress and its failure to lead. Instead of proactively solving problems Congress has delegated our precious power away," said Reed (NY-23). "We must take this power back. Otherwise over time, Congress will be seen as an advisory body instead of the co-equal branch of government the country needs."

While the Dutch Harvest Farm wedding venue project enjoyed a brief, routine discussion of progress and details at Monday's Lansing Town Planning Board meeting, a continuation of a public hearing on the Osmica events venue project drew more ire from neighbors.  Both projects are proposed around the Lansingville (northwest) portion of the town.  And while Dutch Harvest Farm neighbors were mainly concerned about potential noise (and fireworks) that could disturb farm animals, the neighbors who filled the town Hall Monday said that they think the Osmica project will cause a major disruption to their enjoyment of their rural homes. 

"Comparing the two projects that are occurring within a short proximity, I don't even think we're talking about two like venues, other than that the purpose is to host some weddings," said Bill Kerry at the Osmica public hearing.  "We're talking about one that is indoors, seasonal, with a maximum of 150 to 160 people, the ability to close the doors and have the music indoors... it's far different from the other project."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Wednesday that $23.6 million in infrastructure funding has been awarded to support safety enhancements, modernization of facilities, operational improvements and local business development at 31 airports statewide. The funding includes $1.5 million to construct a new shared vehicle and aircraft fuel facility at the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport.
 
"New York's airports represent the front door to our local communities and are critical to facilitating tourism and business development," Cuomo said. "A world class airport is crucial to regional economic growth, and by investing in the modernization of our local airports we are creating vibrant communities where people want to live, work and play."

After lengthy deliberations the Lansing Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) postponed a decision on an appeal challenging a building permit issued to the Lansing Rod & Gun Club to move its shooting ranges in order to comply with a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) order of consent.  The deliberations Tuesday were a continuation of a public hearing last month.  ZBA Chairman Hurf Sheldon said that any decision the ZBA makes would be separate from Code officer Lynn Day's decision to issue the permit.  But after two hours of deliberation no decision was made.

"We're not going to vote tonight," Sheldon said. "There is a lot of extra information we have to process.  We have to get maps and some things to confirm (the issue of segmentation).  The period for public comment is closed."

The Tompkins County Legislature passed a resolution condemning President Trump's declaration of a natural emergency and urging passage of a joint resolution to revoke it. The vote came along party lines, 9-3, with Republicans Mike Sigler, Glenn Morey, and Dave McKenna voting no. (Legislators Leslyn McBean-Clairborne and Amanda Champion were excused.) The resolution, advanced by Legislator Deborah Dawson, through a multitude of factual and technical points, contests the President's declaration of a "state of emergency" pursuant to section 201 of the National Emergencies Act, for the stated purpose of addressing a "border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security interests."

The resolution, in part, maintains that the President's televised statement demonstrates that "he declared a national emergency in order to build his wall quickly, using funds that Congress would not appropriate for the purpose of immediate wall construction," and that "at the very least, the President's willingness to use this power to declare a national emergency in order to bypass Congress's Constitutional power to appropriate funds poses a grave threat to the separation of powers created by the United States Constitution."

Kate Shanks-Booth Named Director of Youth Services
The Tompkins County Legislature, by unanimous vote, confirmed County Administrator Jason Molino's appointment of Kate Shanks-Booth as the County's Director of Youth Services. (Legislators Leslyn McBean-Clairborne and Amanda Champion were excused.) Ms. Shanks-Booth brings to the position more than 15 years of experience in not-for-profit leadership, more than a decade of that working with youth. For the past two-and-a-half years, Shanks-Booth has led the Women's Opportunity Center as Executive Director, leading the community non-profit with offices in both Ithaca and Syracuse. She previously served for six years as Assistant Director of the Cayuga Heights School Age Program; and before that as the Director of Research and Planning for Community Action Partnership, and as Director of Childcare Services for the St. Joseph School District, both in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The new Director of Youth Services holds a Master's of Business Administration degree and an Advanced Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the State University of New York Empire State College, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, Missouri.