Community Crusades to Save Coeyman’s Air Quality

Petition Received
Petition Signature gathering
“I got about 34 signatures. Some people came to my house so it was nice to see so many people wanting to make a difference,” said Sara Pruiksma. In the photo: Concerned resident Joe Tracey waits for his turn to sign the petition.
Locals appreciated the Coalition’s care and dedication to secure a healthy environment in a small, hardworking town with a population of only about 7000.

Activism paves the way for a chance to stop tire burning at a local cement plant

They said it couldn’t be done. Between a pandemic, a record-setting nor’easter, and a busy holiday season, the odds were stacked against them. But advocates for clean air were able to secure more than enough signatures to, hopefully, stop tire burning at the Lafarge cement plant.

“Residents we spoke to were a little dismayed to learn that this was still an issue,” said Sara Pruiksma, a new mom inspired to take action on behalf of her baby boy. “We had to explain how their health and that of the environment would be threatened if harmful contaminants were released from burning tires.”

Many neighbors figured that the Albany County Local Law B, the Clean Air Act, that passed with overwhelming support, 32 of 39 legislators in September, was a done deal. They weren’t privy to what the Coeyman’s Town Board had recently passed in November 2020: an amendment to the existing emissions law in Coeymans to free LaFargeHolcim of rules governing the incineration of tires and waste.

“For some of us, this is a matter of life and death.”

That prompted the Clean Air Coalition, a volunteer group of passionate activists, to spring into action. Pruiksma along with local civil rights lawyer, Carlo de Oliveira, Christine Primomo of the League of Women Voters, and several more went to work canvassing the neighborhood.

In less than a week, the group tallied up enough signatures to submit to the Town Clerk the chance at what is called a ‘permissive referendum‘ or the leverage the residents would need to vote for or against the adoption of the town board’s amendments via a special election sometime in the Spring. The law says the special election should happen “not less than 90 days nor more than 105 days after the filing of such petition.”

This permissive referendum will ask all voters in Coeymans if they approve the revised Clean Air law.  If the voters say ‘NO” to the revised law, the original, tougher Clean Air Law remains in effect. 

“Best gift you can give your lungs this holiday season.”

“We only needed 144 signatures but we got 254. That’s over 100 more signatures than what was needed for a permissive referendum!” said an elated Primomo. “Clearly, people want to know more about how burning waste could affect their health.”

Christine Primomo Interview
Local videographer Sonja Stark interviewed Christine Primomo in the Village of Ravena parking lot about the petition drive to collect 254 signatures.

Primomo was filmed on camera by a local volunteer delivering the decisive challenge to the Town Clerk’s office two days earlier than expected.

De Oliveira, father of two young girls with a home downwind of the Lafarge smokestacks, urged residents that this matter was one of “life or death” for people with respiratory problems or severe allergies. He said, “if the residents did not act now, it would be too late.”

De Oliveira got 95 people to sign the petition in less than 2 days and quite easily too.

“Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, most people I talked to didn’t even know what the town had done and all were equally concerned.”

Town resident & lawyer, Carlo De Oliveira is concerned about the air quality for his family and the town’s future. He became involved with helping to secure signatures shortly after hearing how the Coeymans Town Board passed amendments to allow waste and tire burning at the nearby Lafarge cement facility.
Despite the weather, local artist and new mom of an eight-month-old baby boy, Sara Pruiksma, knocked on dozens of doors securing signatures for a permissive referendum. “We were really overwhelmed by all the positive responses. A few people even gave us treats! That was really sweet – no pun intended!”
Christine Primomo and her husband provided their rural home address in Coeymans Hollow as a central location for signers.
Grassroots efforts made by Sara Pruiksma and Carlo de Olivera as they reviewed a list of names of residents who voted in the last election.

Last Chance!

SIGN THE PETITION to test the  
REVISED COEYMANS CLEAN AIR LAW

Lafarge Ravena

On November 23rd, the Coeymans Town Board voted to revise the Coeymans Clean Air Law four days after a SINGLE Public Hearing.  Very few residents of Coeymans knew about the public hearing, or the vote, or why the law was changed.  
By amending but not repealing the law, the Town Board has removed the protection of the Albany County Clean Air Law.  Their revised law would allow any business, including Lafarge, to burn waste and tires.

Several of our neighbors believe we need to have a wider public debate & referendum on changes to the Coeymans Clean Air Law.

If you agree, please get in touch with one of the following people who have petitions for signing. Ask your friends to sign as well.

Carlo A.C. de Oliveira, Ravena:    carloacdeoliveira@gmail.com
Sylvia Lawler, Coeymans Landing: syl_531@yahoo.com
Yvonne Shackleton, Ravena: vonshack07@gmail.com

If you live in Coeymans and voted in the 2018 election for NY Governor,
you can sign the petition.

ALTERNATIVELY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19 & 20,
12PM-3PM: “Honk & Sign!”


at the home of Christine Primomo,
149 Tracy Rd, Ravena
house not visible from the road
tel: 518 258 5554


Just honk and Christine will bring the petition to you for signing.
(Tracy Rd runs between Starr Rd & Blodgett Rd.
If coming from Starr Rd, # 149 is on left, just past Payne Rd.
If coming from Blodgett Rd, # 149 is on right; if you hit Payne, you’ve gone too far)


For our petition to succeed, we need all signatures
by 4pm, Sunday, 20 December.


It will be the best gift you can give to your lungs this year.

Sign the Petition

SIGN THE PETITION to test the  REVISED COEYMANS CLEAN AIR LAW
On 23 November, the Coeymans Town Board voted to revise the Coeymans Clean Air Law four days after the only Public Hearing.   Very few residents of Ravena or Coeymans knew about the public hearing or the vote or why the law was changed.  

Several of our neighbors believe we need to have a wider public debate about the changes to the Clean Air Law.

If you agree, please get in touch with one of the following people who all have petitions for signing. 

Carlo C.A. de Oliveira, Ravena:    carloacdeoliveira@gmail.com
Christine Primomo, Coeymans Hollow: tracyrd@statetel.com
Sara Pruiksma, Coeymans Landing: pruiksmart@aol.com
Yvonne Shackleton, Ravena: vonshack07@gmail.com

ALTERNATIVELY, SIGN THE PETITION HERE: 5 Colvin Avenue, Coeymans, 12045

If you live in Coeymans and voted in the 2018 election for NY Governor,
you can sign the petition
between 2-4p today (Monday, 12/14) or
between 10 – 4 pm on Tuesday, December 15. 

If you need to sign the petition anytime this week (after the storm), please email us to let us know that you’d like us to come to your door.

Masks will be required when we visit or when you visit us –

For our petition to succeed, we need as many signatures as possible in the next week, by 21 December 2020.

Coeymans Protest Video

NOVEMBER 23, 2020:

While the governor was signing a bill to stop the burning of PFAS at Norlite, this news story was equally as important!

ATTENTION COEYMAN VOTERS

Town Board may vote Monday night (November 23, 2020) at 7p to weaken our Clean Air Law and make Albany County’s law useless in Coeymans.

TIME TO PROTEST!

Come demonstrate outside Town Hall, 6:45-7:30pm
(masked & socially distanced)Coeymans Town Hall, 18 Russell Avenue, Ravena, 12143

Bring flashlights, big signs
& all your friends
!

Tell George McHugh to stop the vote! tel: 518.756.6006, ext 3
Email: gmchugh@coeymans.org 

More public hearings needed;
the people must be heard
!

A revised law will let big businesses
burn tires & waste in Coeymans. 
The emissions will be toxic; our children will suffer.
Stop the damage before it starts.

——————————————————————-

NO TIRE BURNING IN COEYMANS!

WEDNESDAY – WATCH THE ZOOM PRESS CONFERENCE
November 18, 2020 12:00pm 
Topic: Coeymans Clean Air Press Conference

  • Patricia Sibilia President, League of Women Voters of Albany County
  • Sara Pruiksma, Coeymans Resident, Mixed Media Artist
  • Matt Miller, Albany County Legislator, Biology teacher RCS School District

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83494699982?pwd=c1hYeTRiMU1lYzhLMWMreXBvbHFrQT09
Meeting ID: 834 9469 9982
Passcode: 648463

Public hearing this Thursday 19 November 2020 6pm
on amendments to Coeymans Clean Air Law:

Coeymans Town Hall, Russell Avenue, Ravena, 12143
only 4 people at a time allowed inside.

The vote could take place that night.

SEND A SIMPLE MESSAGE
townclerk@coeymans.org or 518-756-6006, Ext. 3 until 4:00pm, 19 Nov 2020
Or come to speak & demonstrate 6-7pm Town Hall, Thursday 19 Nov.

HOW TO MISLEAD VOTERS
Supervisor McHugh says: Coeymans can't have stricter laws than EPA or NY DEC. 
We say: New York law allows Coeymans to set stricter controls than Federal or State law.

Supervisor McHugh says: Lafarge already has a Title V permit to burn tires. 
We say: Lafarge's permit expired in 2015 & is not yet renewed.  Why change our law now?

Supervisor McHugh says: Coeymans has no 'jurisdiction' on air monitoring and emissions. 
We say: The Town is obliged to protect our health, & facilities must monitor emissions. 

Supervisor McHugh says: Lafarge is planning to sue the Town.
We say: Why are you allowing the Town to be bullied?

BRING A SIGN:
HANDS OFF THE CLEAN AIR LAW!

Watch the public hearing and Board meeting here:

WHY WE LIKE THE CURRENT LAW
1. No facility can burn more than 25 tons/day of waste, even if DEC-approved.

2. Coeymans’ standards offer better protection than the EPA or DEC from: 

  • Mercury
  • Sulphur dioxide
  • Dioxins/furans
  • Nitrogen oxides

3. A facility burning waste must monitor 19 pollutants continuously, not once a year.

4. The Clean Air Law requires clean air from clean businesses to protect us all.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS MEAN:

1. Lower pollution standards are acceptable in Coeymans.

2. Ignorance is bliss.  If we don’t measure a facility’s toxins, they can’t hurt us.

3. The Coeymans Board protects big business, not residents & neighbors.

BAN THE BURN!

Tell Governor Cuomo to sign the Norlite bill–the first law in the nation to prohibit dangerous burning of toxic fire suppressants and fire retardants.

Message: Please protect NY residents, from the burning of toxic firefighting foam. Sign the bill banning such incineration. Norlite is located in an environmental justice area and secretly burned 2 million pounds of this dangerous chemical before the public found out. 

Time to Protest

ATTENTION COEYMAN VOTERS

Town Board may vote Monday night (November 23, 2020) at 7p to weaken our Clean Air Law and make Albany County’s law useless in Coeymans.

TIME TO PROTEST!

Come demonstrate outside Town Hall, 6:45-7:30pm
(masked & socially distanced)Coeymans Town Hall, 18 Russell Avenue, Ravena, 12143

Bring flashlights, big signs
& all your friends
!

Tell George McHugh to stop the vote! tel: 518.756.6006, ext 3
Email: gmchugh@coeymans.org 

More public hearings needed;
the people must be heard
!

A revised law will let big businesses
burn tires & waste in Coeymans. 
The emissions will be toxic; our children will suffer.
Stop the damage before it starts.