ONONDAGA LAKE PLAN WILL REMOVE CORPORATE LIABILITY LEAVING TOXIC WASTE IN PLACE
Report Picks Apart New York State-Honeywell Plan as Completely Inadequate Mercury And Other Hazards Will Still Threaten Syracuse

June 30, 2005—The Onondaga Nation today released a detailed report pointing out numerous threats to public health in the “clean-up plan” for Onondaga Lake that New York State and Honeywell have agreed upon.  The report highlights the need for more extensive remediation and a better, comprehensive analysis on the final results.

“The plan pushed by the State and Honeywell will remove only some of the toxic waste, put a temporary cap on only some the toxic waste that’s left, and pretend that the superfund sites leaching their poisons into Onondaga Lake don’t exist,” said Joe Heath, attorney for the Onondaga Nation.  “The only thing this plan cleans up is Honeywell’s corporate liability, leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill once the long-term public health threat is exposed.”

From 1884 to 1986, Allied Chemical and AlliedSignal, who since merged with the Honeywell Corporation, used the region’s natural salt brines and limestone to produce soda ash and other industrial chemicals on the southwest side of Onondaga Lake.  The pollution from these facilities turned the Lake, a former resort destination, into one of the most polluted bodies of water in North America.  Although the site has been designated a Federal Superfund Site for over a decade, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ceded its authority for clean up to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

“Onondaga Lake has been the center of our cultural heritage since time immemorial,” said Sidney Hill, Tadodaho (spiritual leader), Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs.  “It is a tragedy that the governments of the United States and New York State sat on their hands while Honeywell’s factories dumped their poisons on our precious resources.  But we will not sit still while there is a chance to clean up and reclaim the Lake for all of Central New York.”

The Onondaga Nation’s report, prepared by Stratus Consulting, details numerous problems with the clean-up plan, including a failure to clean up the major toxic chemicals to levels defined by the DEC in its own plan.           

Other issues include:

• The plan does not sufficiently protect public health or the environment.

• The plan does not set real life goals: when will the fish be edible?  When will it be safe to swim?

• Even after the proposed dredging, significant levels of contamination will remain.

• There is no guarantee the proposed cap will work.

• The plan is based on an inadequate assessment of the risks posed by the current contamination and underestimates the risks that the public and the environment will face after the work is done.

• The plan will not work unless the upland sources of contaminants are properly cleaned up.

• The plan does not even discuss restoring the lake to pre-polluted condition, as mandated by state and federal law and regulations.

• Honeywell and government officials did not coordinate with the Onondaga Nation or with local citizens in developing the proposed remedial action plan.

“By forcing this plan on the residents of Syracuse and Central New York, Governor Pataki and the DEC is missing a terrific opportunity,” concluded Heath.  “The Onondaga insist that any clean up should return the Lake is returned to its original condition, clean enough to eat its fish.  It’s unfortunate that the State is siding with the polluter and settling for a continuing legacy of toxic waste.”