Senator Michelle Hinchey Urges NYS DEC to Adopt Urgent Leachate Regulations

Senator Michelle Hinchey (District 41)  sent a strong letter to the NYS DEC in January, urging the agency to adopt new regulations requiring the onsite treatment and disposal of landfill leachate as soon as possible.

“As the Senator for New York’s 41st District, I was deeply concerned to learn of the harmful release of leachate from landfills into the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. This poses a serious threat not only to the drinking water of thousands of my constituents but also negatively impacts tourism and the natural environment—critical components of our local economy. Additionally, it creates significant challenges for municipal leaders, who are burdened with the dangerous and costly task of managing and disposing of leachate. For these reasons, I urge the DEC to adopt new regulations that mandate onsite treatment and disposal of landfill leachate as soon as possible. By taking this necessary action, the DEC has a crucial opportunity to close the “leachate loophole” in the law and require landfills to treat toxic leachate before it is transported offsite and released into the environment. A challenge this urgent demands immediate action.”

Despite this call for action, the DEC has yet to begin the Rulemaking process needed to kick off the public process for new leachate regulations. This delay continues to hinder efforts to address this crisis.

We thank Senator Hinchey for her leadership on this critical issue.