Rensselaer Legislature urges state to revisit Dunn Landfill permit after residents, mayor raise air and traffic concerns

The Rensselaer County Legislature voted unanimously Feb. 11 to ask the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Governor Kathy Hochul to revisit approval of the Dunn Landfill operating permit, citing community concerns about odors, truck traffic and potential air contaminants.

Mayor Mike Stammel of the City of Rensselaer and members of the Rensselaer Environmental Coalition urged the legislature to act. "A dump does not belong within 50 feet, a hundred feet of a high school," Mayor Mike Stammel said, describing persistent odors and heavy truck traffic near schools in the city.

The resolution, introduced by Legislator Rogers and presented as P63 25, follows public comments alleging that state monitoring has been insufficient. Bob Welton of the Rensselaer Environmental Coalition summarized scientific and agency correspondence given to the legislature and state agencies, and asked the county to "sound the alarm" after recent studies and test results he said show PFAS compounds in landfill leachate and suggest burning landfill gas may mobilize PFAS into air emissions.

Why it matters: speakers and several legislators said the landfill sits close to residences and a school, and that changes in delivery-hour limits could concentrate truck-related emissions into a shorter daily window. Legislators from multiple parties voiced support for the resolution, with Legislator Zalewski calling the landfill's footprint in the small city "a huge portion of the city," and others emphasizing cross-jurisdictional pressure on state regulators.

Discussion vs. action: the comments from Mayor Stammel and Mr. Welton were part of the public comment period and not formal county actions; the legislature's formal action was the unanimous vote to adopt P63 25 requesting that the DEC and the governor reconsider the operating permit. The resolution does not itself change permit conditions or operations at the Dunn Landfill; it requests state reconsideration and increased review.

What speakers said: Mayor Mike Stammel said the landfill exposes residents and schoolchildren to odors and diesel truck traffic and urged continued pressure on the DEC and state elected officials. Bob Welton described research he provided to county officials and said testing of the landfill's burn flare for PFAS should be considered; he characterized closure as one of several costly options if emissions cannot be mitigated. Legislator Rogers, who introduced the resolution, described living near the site and called the odor "appalling."

Vote and next steps: after discussion the legislature voted "Aye" unanimously; the clerk recorded 18 votes in favor. The resolution directs the county's representatives to request that the DEC and the governor review the permit decision and to work with state elected officials to pursue further action. The resolution does not bind state agencies to any specific enforcement action or timeline.

Background and limitations: speakers referred to research from university teams and to leachate test results; the resolution asks state agencies to revisit their permit decision but does not mandate county-conducted testing or require any specific remediation. Legislators noted the county's role is to request state review rather than to revoke or alter state permits.

Ending: Supporters described the vote as the county reaffirming longstanding local objections and as a step to coordinate with state legislators and environmental groups to pursue additional monitoring and regulatory review.