A scheduled public information meeting about the Onondaga Lake cleanup efforts drew a large crowd to the State Fairgrounds on Thursday. Even before the meeting started, organizers acknowledged that most of the crowd was there to ask questions about a plan by the DEC and Honeywell to remove contaminated sediment from the lake and move it to a location in Camillus.
Several Camillus neighbors questioned why they are just now hearing of plans to move the contaminated sediment into town since the plans have been in the works since 2004. many of them questioned the safety of placing the contaminates so close to homes and the lake itself, and said Honeywell should develop alternate ideas. Cal Izard said what may have been classified as a remote area in 2004, now has several neighborhood developments.
"There's approximately 200 homes that have come up or are coming up right now and I believe that changes the profile of the region adjacent to the designated site," said Izard.
Another Camillus neighbor asked an EPA representative if he would live next to the site that will hold contaminated sediment.
The EPA representative said he believed the plan was safe. the DEC, federal and state authorities have also signed off on the plan. Sherry Mossotti said she trusted the work done by those agencies and wanted the lake cleanup to continue.
"It's a tried and true process," said Mossotti. "We're never going to know if we don't move forward and we're making progress and I'd hate to see it stop at this point."
Most of the crowd disagreed and wanted to let Honeywell know moving contaminated sediment to Camillus was the wrong way to proceed.
"I feel it's completely moving the problem out of the lake and placing it next to the lake versus moving it out of the lake and putting it in a licensed place where they deal with these contents," said Megan Vertucci. She said she was concerned about chemicals in the sediment affecting local children.
Representatives from Honeywell were also at the meeting. They said they were listening to resident's concerns and would address them at a town meeting in Camillus next week.
