Archive: Opinions

On June 13th last month Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now (CLEAN) held a public session aimed at mobilizing public support to stop Cargill mining salt under Lake Cayuga. Although there is much interesting material posted on the CLEAN web site, their arguments that permitting Shaft #4 in Lansing risks catastrophic flooding and collapse of the Cayuga Salt Mine making Lake Cayuga saline are overwrought.

The New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) decision that Shaft #4 poses no substantial risk of mine flooding is appropriate, and there is no reason to believe that the NYSDEC’s current yearly monitoring of the Cargill Mine will fail to assure continued safe salt mining.

Elaboration on these conclusions and an analysis of the CLEAN arguments can be found in an open letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYSDEC.

Lawrence Cathles
Lansing, New York
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