WCDO Radio News

The State Dec announced that Amphenol Aerospace recently paid a civil penalty of $945,000 for violations related to the tampering of weekly sampling reports and submission of false materials to DEC over a two-year period. The DEC began investigating Amphenol Aerospace in April 2022 after being notified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of a complaint that the facility had modified sampling practices by removing nitric acid from wastewater, drumming it into 55-gallon drums, and returning it back into the wastewater treatment system after weekly samples of effluent from the outfall had been collected. EnCon Police and DEC Division of Water employees inspected the facility, Amphenol has instituted procedures to avoid potential recurrences.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the
availability of nearly $87 million in grant funding to assist states, tribes,
and territories with improving drinking water. New York is eligible to receive
up to $3.7 million in available funding.
Program participants will be asked to submit work plans to EPA outlining
their proposed project for approval and funding.   More information is available at
epa.gov/safewater/grants

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced their Sustainable Success Award Winners, they are: The Oneonta Job Corps Academy as the recipient of the NBT Bank, Quality of Life Award in recognition of their programs and services & the Otsego County Conservation Association is the recipient of the NBT Insurance Agency Environmental Stewardship Award, for enhancing Otsego County's environment through protection of its land and waters. The award winners will be honored at the Chamber's Summer Soiree on Thursday, July 19th at Oneonta Municipal Airport.

State Police arrested 47 year old Shannon Coleman of Smithville for 2 counts of Criminal Contempt and Harassment, after a victim made a report that Coleman violated an order of protection on several occasions. Coleman was arrested & was arraigned in the town of Smithville Court and released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to reappear on July 24th.

Governor Cuomo announced a $150 billion infrastructure plan for the next 5 years, starting in 2020. the capital projects would rebuild transportation and mass transit systems, construct affordable housing, build new school buildings for 21st century learning, create new environmental and park facilities, support sustainable energy projects & possibly generate 675,000 jobs.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 37 year old Jarred Cutting of Masonville for 8 counts of Criminal Contempt, for allegedly violating a court order of protection. He was arraigned at the Town of Delhi Court, and was released upon his own recognizance and scheduled to appear before the Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

The Chenango County Industrial Development agency announced that for the first time in 12 years, commercial freight was shipped on the Utica mainline railroad tracks through Chenango County. Train traffic was halted by washouts from the 2006 floods. The first train consisted of a locomotive pulling 2 flat cars carrying steel beams from the Bull Moose Tube Company of Elkhart Indiana; they were being shipped to Di Highway Sign 7 Structure Company in New York Mills Wednesday.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is leading a coalition of 13 states; they are calling on the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to reject deep cuts in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and anti-environmental riders in federal budget bills. The coalition charges that the EPA cuts and riders currently proposed by both houses will lead to more pollution, and an increase in damage to public health." The coalition is urging Congress to pass a final budget that fully funds EPA and omits any anti-environmental riders.

Governor Cuomo announced a new statewide initiative to examine cancer patterns and the potential causes of cancer in 4 regions across the state that have a higher incidence of certain cancers. The Department of Health will be reviewing cancer data, potential demographic and occupational factors, and will consult with the DEC on environmental factors contributing to the cancer clusters.

New York State today filed a notice of intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for violating the federal Clean Air Act by failing to curb ground-level ozone pollution that blows into New York from upwind states. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that at least 1 in 3 New Yorkers breathe air with unhealthy levels of smog pollution. The EPA's own studies demonstrate that pollution from states upwind of New York contributes substantially to the state's dangerous smog problem.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the appointment of Pete Lopez to become Regional Administrator for Region 2. Lopez will oversee environmental protection efforts in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lopez has served as a member of the New York State Assembly since 2007.

New York's new Drinking Water Council will hold its first meeting on Long Island to consider setting maximum levels of several contaminants not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. the 12-member council will recommend maximum levels for various chemicals which have contaminated drinking water in Rensselaer County and Newburgh. The council will also address dioxane, an industrial solvent that has contaminated water supplies in Long Island and elsewhere.

Governor Cuomo announced executive actions designed to expand voter registration opportunities for New Yorkers. Executive Order #169, which directs every state agency to make voter registration forms available and to offer assistance in filling them out. The Governor also established the State Agency Voter Registration Task Force, to oversee administration of the state agency voter registration program in consultation with the State Board of Elections.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman & a coalition of 11 state Attorneys General, today filed a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency for illegally delaying a rule meant to protect communities, workers, and first responders from dangerous chemical accidents. The Accidental Release Prevention Requirements or the "Chemical Accident Safety Rule" makes improvements to Congressionally-mandated protections against explosions, fires, poisonous gas releases, and other accidents at more than 12,000 facilities across the country, including over 200 in New York, that store and use toxic chemicals. In the suit filed today, the coalition is challenging the 20-month delay of the Chemical Accident Safety Rule's effective date.

Governor Cuomo announced that New York State is formally calling on the federal Environmental Protection Agency to establish an official drinking water standard for the federally unregulated contaminant 1,4-dioxane. Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA has primary authority to regulate drinking water quality, to date, the EPA has not only failed to issue an Maximum Contaminant Level for this contaminant, but an existing federal loophole exempts public water systems serving less than 10,000 people from even testing for it & other contaminants.

State Police is currently investigating several complaints of a telephone scam in which the caller threatens to harm a loved one if the receiver of the call does not send them money. The scam involves unknown individuals calling the scam victim and advising that their loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident or has been kidnapped. The calls are threatening in nature and usually involve the caller demanding that money be sent to an area outside of the United States or the person involved will be arrested or harmed. Officials stress that any member of the public who receives one of these scam calls or who has been victimized should call and report the incident to their local policing agency.

Governor Cuomo announced $3 million in available funding for municipalities in New York to advance the purchase or lease of Zero Emission Vehicles such as battery electric and hydrogen vehicles. The rebates will be provided through the record $300 million Environmental Protection Fund investment in 2017 State Budget, and will help New York meet its commitments under the Multi-State Memorandum of Understanding, which aims to put 3.3 million of the vehicles on the roads by 2025.

The Delaware County Industrial Development Agency and ACCO Brands Corporation announced a project that will result in the creation of 25 new, full-time jobs at ACCO Brands’ Sidney facility. County Economic Development Director Glen Nealis explains:

(Glen Nealis 2-19-16)

The project will result in the creation of 10 jobs within a newly created call center facility at ACCO Brands’ administrative building, as well as 15 new production-related jobs generated through manufacturing and distribution operations. The IDA responded with a $20,000 loan to offset the investment of over $60,000 by ACCO Brands, with the potential for loan forgiveness contingent upon ACCO Brands meeting certain job creation benchmarks.

Governor Cuomo announced Thursday that water quality issues will be backed up with extra funding in the state budget this year, on top of the $300 Million dollars for the Environmental Protection Fund, following water issues in Flint Michigan, and on Long Island:

(Cuomo 2-19-16)

Cuomo said that the 2 biggest challenges to New York State currently are terrorism and environmental issues, both which can be unpredictable and have no immediate solution at the time those problems surface,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has awarded $197 million to New York State, to help finance improvements to water projects to protect public health and the environment. The money will be used to upgrade sewage plants and drinking water systems throughout the state. This funding, which is awarded annually, is in addition to the $340 million NY recently received for Hurricane Sandy resiliency projects

In an effort to safeguard against future flooding events in the Catskills, Congressman Chris Gibson  is calling on the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to make adjustments to the water levels in the city’s Upstate reservoCHirs.  Congressman Gibson sent a letter (attached) May 1 to DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd detailing his concerns that DEP reservoir levels are at certain times of the year too high, increasing the threat of flooding during severe storms like Hurricane Irene.  Gibson also asked the agency to consider downstream flood mitigation as a factor when making operational decisions affecting reservoirs.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested 42 year old Christopher Turner of Preston on 2 counts of 1st degree Assault, 1st Degree Burglary, Aggravated Criminal Contempt, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Criminal Mischief & Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  Turner is accused of unlawfully entering a residence and assaulting 2 residents, 1 of the victims had an active order of protection against Turner. Turner was found to have used a dangerous instrument during the assault. The unidentified victims were transported to local hospitals to be treated for their injuries; deputies said that there were 4 children in the residence during the incident, which also had active order of protections against Turner. Turner was arraigned in the Town of Preston Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $ 00,000 cash bail and is to reappear in court at a later date.

NYSEG is inspecting wooden transmission and distribution poles for decay and other damage, beginning in NYSEG’s Oneonta Division.   In addition to identifying poles in need of repair or replacement, NYSEG’s contractor will be treating some poles to increase their longevity. The preservatives used are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and will be applied under the supervision of licensed applicators. Any poles infested with carpenter ants also may be treated with an approved insecticide.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced a bill that would require the USDA to maintain adequate staffing and increase testing at the facilities that produce beef, pork, and poultry products. The bill also would require the agency to improve standards to protect against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.  More information is available at gillibrand.senate.gov.

State senator Jim Seward co-sponsored a proposal called "The Funding Emergency Relief Now” bill, to assist property owners when FEMA or other funding is denied, with a refundable state income tax credit against property taxes paid where properties have suffered value-reducing damage.  The bill calls for a state task force on flood prevention and mitigation, enhanced funding through the Environmental Protection Fund for soil and water conservation districts, National Guard directed and supported construction assistance in communities where flood mitigation measures have been identified, and requiring a simplified and expedited process for the state share of any reimbursable flood-related costs by local governments. The legislation is expected to be voted on next year.