Tracy Frisch was selected to receive the Peter Henner Award during the NYCLU Capital Region Awards Ceremony on November 14, 2024. Tracy has worked tirelessly – mainly for free – to stop damaging projects in the Upper Hudson while supporting many community members from across the state.
Some of her efforts went into opposing the development of a biochar incineration project in Moreau intent to burn sewage sludge and use the residue as fertilizer. In a 9-page decision, the DEC soundly rejected that proposal, as reported in the Albany Times Union on November 13, 2024.
All who value clean air can only applaud this decision and everything that Tracy Frisch has done to protect the health of the rest of us. Thank you, Tracy!
Peter Henner Award Honoree Tracy FrischHonorees of the NYCLU Annual Awards
Elected Officials, Environmental and Community Leaders Announce Opposition to Sludge Incinerator in the City of Rensselaer
Speakers in order: 1. Jessica Welshans, Rensselaer Environmental Coalition (REC) 2. Judith Enck, Beyond Plastics 3. Rensselaer Mayor Mike Stammel 4. Bob Welton, REC 5. Joe Ritchie, Lights Out Norlite 6. Q&A response from Mayor and Judith again 7. Sister Mary Ellen Owens of Sisters of Mercy
Rensselaer, NY – Today, elected officials, city residents and environmental leaders gathered on the banks of the Hudson River near the BASF toxic waste site, to express strong opposition to a new incinerator project. The New Jersey company called Harbor Rock is eyeing the property to incinerate river sediment from the bottom of the Hudson River and possibly other rivers and New York Harbor. The sediment, which may contain PFAS chemicals, PCBs and toxic chemicals would be burned in this small riverfront community and emit toxic air pollution into the community when incinerated from a high temperature kiln.
Rensselaer is a city of approximately 9,300 people, with several of its communities designated by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as environmental justice areas. The city also meets the criteria of a disadvantaged community, a program to ensure underserved communities benefit from the state’s transition to reduced pollution, cleaner air, and economic opportunities. This project is the opposite of what is needed.
The city is overburdened with toxic pollution, as it is home to the Dunn construction and demolition dump – the largest such dump in NYS and taking waste from six states – a fracked gas powered plant, and up to 16 known or suspected toxic waste sites in the City of Rensselaer. The combined effects of this pollution is an ongoing and overwhelming assault on the health of residents and the environment. Although an application has not yet been received by the city, this project is the second incineration facility proposed at this site in the recent past.
The former BASF property is in the midst of a very slow partial cleanup of toxic waste, such as lead, phenols, mercury and benzene. The 45 acre property contains a remediated brownfield site, three State Superfund Sites, one of which is in the process of being remediated, and a Voluntary Cleanup site left with significant arsenic contamination after remediation. Dyes and pharmaceuticals were also manufactured at the site since the 1890’s, and closed in 2000.
“As the mayor, I am opposed to any and all trash, garbage, recycling and use of an incinerator in the City of Rensselaer that would have the potential to impact the quality life of our residents and our neighbors. We are changing the image of Rensselaer every day and these types of facilities don’t mesh with our long-term goals for the city.” – Mayor Mike Stammel, City of Rensselaer
“As Supervisor of the neighboring Town of East Greenbush, we are already trying to mitigate the dangerous effects of the Dunn Landfill on our residents. That project should never have been approved by DEC and the permit should not be renewed because we weren’t made aware of the deleterious effect of the chemicals emanating from the landfill until after it was in operation. Let’s not make the same mistake again. Projects like this must be stopped before they are approved. And that requires elected officials who listen to their constituents. I’m listening and all I hear are cries of “please stop bringing toxic materials into our neighborhoods.” This project is a terrible idea, made worse by the cumulative effects of the Dunn Landfill, and should be strenuously opposed before it even gets off the ground.” – Supervisor Jack Conway, Town of East Greenbush
“This is a terrible proposal that should be roundly rejected. Burning sediment from the bottom of rivers and harbors will create air pollution that will impact the entire Capital District. High temperatures do not necessarily destroy the PCBs, PFAS chemicals and heavy metals that are known to be in sediment. I am opposed to this project in the already overburdened City of Rensselaer and anywhere else this company attempts to get a foothold.” – Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator
“Harbor Point and the Port of Albany think a class 2 inactive hazardous waste site in an environmental justice zone is a good location for a river sludge incineration which brings air pollution, water contamination and ecosystem disruption. They need to have another think.” – Bob Welton, Rensselaer Environmental Coalition
“We cannot allow a Norlite 2.0 to be allowed to operate in our community. In Cohoes we have seen children playing in black snow, breathing in cancerous silica dust and families being uprooted and moved due to the hazards the Norlite incinerator inflicts on its residents. Let us not repeat the failed policies of the past and reject this facility for the residents of Rennssaeler and surrounding communities.” – Joe Ritchie Chair Lights Out Norlite
WHEN: Saturday, November 9th TIME: 10:45am LOCATION: 15 Riverside Ave, in the city of Rensselaer.
Dear Friends:
You are invited to attend a news conference this Saturday, November 9th at 10:45am at 15 Riverside Ave, in the city of Rensselaer. A new group of local residents and elected officals have come together to oppose a new pollution source proposed in the city of Rensselaer.Please join us and if possible, rsvp to Bob Welton with Rensselaer Environmental Coalition to let him know you can attend at rensenvirocoalition@gmail.com
This is not a big rally (yet) but we want ot have a good showing of people from throughout the region at the news conference to illustrate broad opposition to this terrible proposal. Bring friends, family and signs or banners and share this email with other environmentalists.An outfit named Harbor Rock has proposed building an incinerator on the old BASF property in the City of Rensselaer.
That property is a toxic waste site, listed as a state superfund site by the NY Dept of Environmental Conservation. The City of Renessleaer is an overburdened environmental justice community which is already home to the largest construction and demolition debris landfill in the state (Dunn Landfill) a fracked gas power plant and other polluting facilities. The company wants to bring dredged material from the bottom on the Hudson River and perhaps NY Harbor to the City to be burned at 2000 degrees in a rotary kiln incinerator. And then they want to turn that in to aggregate to be sold for construction projects. Think Norlite 2.0The dredged sediments from the river bottom often contain pcbs, pfas chemicals and heavy metals that will not be destroyed by high temperature incineration. This company met with local officials this past June but failed the mention the incineration part of their proposal and have not shared anything with the public. See details below from an excellent Times Union editorial.We hope to see you this Saturday!
Staff Reporter, Rick Karlin, of the Capital Region Times Union newspaper published a story on Sept 13, 2024, that only told half the story. Here’s what he missed:
To the Editor,
I have long admired Rick Karlin’s environmental reporting. However, his recent article about the Port of Coeymans failed to question the Port’s fanciful public relations campaign. Josh Kowalski, the Port’s vice president of sales and business development, said “Acreage is our selling point .. we have the space …”, but a quick tour of the Port would show it is completely built out. It can only expand by invading residential areas or corruptly manipulating local zoning laws. Carver Companies has already clearcut an important indigenous woodland along the Hudson and would continue such destruction if allowed to expand in Coeymans. In short, there is no more space at the Port of Coeymans. Nor is there room on our residential two-lane roads for the heavy industrial truck traffic the Port has already attracted, let alone an increase in such traffic. Mr. Karlin is an experienced reporter and should be able to recognize when he is being sold a fairytale that needs to be questioned before it is reported as fact. Moreover, despite its impressive PR, the Port of Coeymans is not the only port along the Hudson that can handle large infrastructure and wind power projects; it is just the area’s only non-union port. The Capital Region has room at the Port of Albany and has considerable space in Rensselaer. TU reporters should take a look around or even talk to local residents before swallowing exaggerated claims from the Port of Coeymans.
Barbara Heinzen
Local Resident & Chair of Clean Air Coalition of Greater Ravena-Coeymans
Why destroy acres of natural habitat on the Hudson River and increase truck traffic on River Road when a better candidate for offshore wind exists? The East Greenbush Port is the ideal candidate for building/manufacturing/storing 400-foot wind blades. Watch this video to see why:
