STAMP poses too many threats to environment, Tonawanda Nation
Editor:
The Oak Orchard River flows through the heart of Shelby Center where I grew up. Us kids just called it the “crick” and it was our playground. We fished, swam, built rafts, and camped out on the crick.
I think it is important to keep our water ways clean and teaming with life for other generations to enjoy like we did. Many people in Orleans County weren’t aware of STAMP (Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park) until last year, when it became public knowledge that they had plans to daily dump 6 million gallons of phosphorus laden waste water into Oak Orchard River which is already deemed endangered due to high phosphorus levels.
The Tonawanda Seneca Nation has been fighting to protect their land and way of life from STAMP for over 20 years. It would have been longer had STAMP consulted with the Nation before they even got started as required by Federal Law. But they didn’t and this has a pattern they have followed at every turn.
They try to sneak things through before anyone can respond or stop them. When the GCEDC (Genesee County Economic Development Center) is legally required to have public meetings about STAMP they publicize it as minimally as possible and schedule it during the middle of a work week to minimize the attendance.
The Environmental Impact Study they use is from 2012 and doesn’t cover their hydrogen plant or the proposed Data Center. This flagrant violation has led the Nation to join the Sierra Club in a lawsuit against STAMP, the data center and the Town Oakfield. The EIS isn’t just law…it is common sense. Don’t we need to know the impact a such a large new business would have on the environment?
The proposed, massive data center would be the size of 17 football fields and would require extensive cooling and a massive amount of electricity. The lack of water for cooling would require them to use many loud industrial air conditioners that would certainly effect the balance of nature in the area.
While National Grid is telling us to expect a 20% increase in our electric bills and to conserve energy, they are giving the Data Center massive breaks to use an extraordinary amount of power. The jobs they promise are minimal and subsidized by us, the tax payers and would likely go to highly trained outsiders.
From its initial concept, the placing of STAMP in such an important and fragile ecosystem was dubious. It is located next to a sovereign nation, the ancient Big Woods, a national wildlife refuge and a state wildlife management center where it poses a great environmental risk to all. The terrain would force any chemical leakage or spill to drain into the Tonawanda Creek where it would directly effect the way of life of the Nation. STAMP would be required to keep thousands of gallon of fuel on site in case of and electrical failure and a fire at a data center would have to be extinguished with chemicals. The 3 tributaries on STAMP property all flow into Tonawanda Creek.
The threat to Oak Orchard River is still present. The chemical spill in the swamps last year from their attempt to drill the pipeline through the swamps has certainly slowed them down. But the plan to run a pipeline through Orleans County is only on hold.
GCEDC is trying to discharge waste water through Oakfield, using horizontal drilling where it could affect underground water tables and tributaries of the Oak Orchard River. Without an updated EIS no one knows the potential risk to the Oak Orchard Creek is or the effect it would have on the neighboring Big Woods and National Wildlife Refuge.
Anyone wanting to have a clearer understanding of the impact STAMP could have is invited to come to a public meeting presented by the Allies of The Tonawanda Seneca Nation on July 17th at the Shelby Fire Hall on Rt. 63 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The litigation against the data center and other issues will be addressed. You will hear from the Nation how this can affect their way of life from the dangers of their wells being poisoned to the negative impact on the vegetation and wildlife that that they use for food, medicine and ceremony.
The Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation will give you facts that STAMP won’t. STAMP gains much for themselves with little to offer to us the people other than risk to our land and wildlife. They are a Trojan horse.
Sincerely,
Arthur Barnes
Shelby resident and ally of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation
