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Hundreds of residents oppose proposed Wawarsing landfill; speakers cite water, health and equity concerns
Summary
Dozens of Ulster County residents testified against proposed landfill sites in Wawarsing and Ellenville, telling the Legislature that the locations threaten well water, wetlands, local farms and environmental justice communities; speakers urged exploration of alternatives and more oversight of UCRRA.
Dozens of residents from Brown Road, Ulster Heights, Ellenville and nearby communities urged Ulster County legislators on May 20 to oppose proposed landfill sites being considered by Ulster County authorities, saying the locations present risks to drinking water, local farms and environmental justice communities.
“I'm a homeschooling mom of three and I came here for the air, the water, the land,” said Kiera Rogowski, who said her son improved after moving to the area. “This proposed landfill threatens not only Gabriel's health, but the well-being of all of these families who live here.”
Speakers raised several recurring concerns: proximity of proposed sites to wetlands and the watershed that feeds local reservoirs; risks to private wells and the Roundout Reservoir; potential impacts on farms and a local organic farm that supplies regional markets; traffic and safety on narrow rural roads; and disproportionate siting in historically underserved communities.
Johnny Frost, who identified himself as a Wawarsing town board member, cited the state Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and New York’s constitutional amendment on the right to clean air and water, and said early analysis flagged freshwater wetlands, stormwater vulnerabilities and potential environmental-justice areas around proposed sites. “A 200-acre landfill at the end of the county without proper analysis isn't just wrong. It's arbitrary, capricious, and potentially unlawful,” Frost said.
Multiple speakers described environmental and economic ties that could be harmed: Daniel Kanda, cooperator at Flowering Sun farm, said the farm sells produce across the region and depends on clean water; Brooke Gillespie noted that Brown Road sits at the top of a mountain whose runoff feeds reservoirs and asked whether downstream communities, including New York City, would accept the risk. Several speakers also warned about legacy contamination from landfills and the long-term cost of remediation.
A number of residents pressed for greater oversight of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA), which manages county waste contracts. Reuben Bouchard and others said that when the contract between Ulster County and a private operator expires, operations may continue without a contract, reducing formal county levers to enforce oversight. “With no contract, what now?” Bouchard asked.
Speakers repeatedly called for alternative waste-management approaches, including stronger diversion, expanded composting and regional partnerships; some cited examples from other states. Others asked legislators to adopt local bans or to require full environmental analysis before permitting or funding decisions.
No formal vote on landfill siting occurred at the meeting. Legislators did not take immediate action; public commentary and requests for site visits were logged as part of the public record.
