Photo by Virginia State Parks. Creative Commons license Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0). https://www.flickr.com/photos/37922399@N05/52749816654. Image description: Closeup of a Scarlet Tanager, a bird with a bright red body and black wings and eyes, perched on a branch, with many crisscrossing gray branches and greenery blurring in the background.
October 3 UPDATE to our September 26 action alert (scroll to the bottom for the action alert text)
Last Friday, following sustained advocacy from the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and allies like you, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) informed the Nation that it had ordered the suspension of drilling on the STAMP wastewater pipeline. Unfortunately, on the same day, the Nation also learned that damage caused by “frac-outs” in August and September is much more serious than previously known.
On September 29, USFWS sent a letter to the Genesee Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) - the WNY STAMP developer – stating that in response to spills of hydraulic drilling fluid, the emergence of sinkholes, and road damage along the construction route, the agency is suspending pipeline construction in the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and requiring GCEDC to complete a numerous steps before construction may resume. These steps include: producing a thorough report on what occurred, conducting a geotechnical engineering review, and working with NYSDOT to rebuild the local roadways damaged by pipeline construction. USFWS will also require state agencies to certify that remediation and road repair efforts meet their standards, and may require an independent federal review. These steps are likely to halt pipeline construction until at least spring 2024.
Also on September 29, NYSDEC informed the Nation that GCEDC consultants Clark Patterson and Lee (CPL) reported discovery of a spill apparently associated with an August 15 frac-out - an event not mentioned in USFWS’s suspension letter. That spill appears to have dwarfed the spills that were the basis of the USFWS suspension, with CPL estimating a release of 400-600 gallons of fracking fluid into the Refuge wetlands.
This infuriating disclosure reminds us that temporary suspension of drilling is an insufficient remedy. We know that the outpouring of calls and emails from allies like you made a critical difference in pushing the USFWS to uphold their mission and halt further environmental destruction. But the agency has still not met the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s core demand: withdraw the Right of Way permit for construction of the STAMP wastewater pipeline in the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
And so, the fight continues. As we celebrate this victory and temporary reprieve, we are assessing ways allies can continue to support the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and protect the health of our shared environment, including the Refuge, the Nation, and Oak Orchard Creek. Stay tuned for upcoming calls for solidarity action!
Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation
PS - Read J. Dale Shoemaker’s latest installment of his ongoing series investigating WNY STAMP, Feds shut down STAMP pipeline construction, including a quote from Nation citizen Grandell Logan.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check out our website!
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September 26, 2023 Action Alert - Stop the Spills! Withdraw the Right of Way Permit!
Update: Scott Kahan has turned off the phone and the voicemail is full. Please email instead: [email protected]
The USFWS must respect the demands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs and withdraw the Right of Way permit for the STAMP pipeline through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge!
Dear allies,
We are reaching out to you today with an urgent call to action in the fight to stop WNY STAMP and uphold the sovereignty of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation.
On Monday, September 18, State Supreme Judge Sanford Church issued a temporary restraining order stopping all construction activities on the WNY STAMP wastewater pipeline in Orleans County.
On September 19, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation was notified by the Manager of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge that “fluids associated with subsurface drilling appeared on the refuge surface outside the perimeter of the right of way.” Although this spill of hydraulic drilling fluid was first reported to USFWS on September 7, the agency waited 12 days to inform the Nation, and not until reports of spills and sinkholes were beginning to appear in local media. Then, on September 20, the Nation learned that the NY Department of Conservation had flagged a spill on August 15 - but allowed construction to continue and told the Nation that their inspection showed “no issues.”
Feeling angry? Us too. Let’s stop the spills and protect our precious wetlands from further destruction.
Here’s how to take action. Call Regional USFWS Chief Scott Kahan at 413-835-1931. Tell him that you are calling as a concerned community member to demand that the USFWS respect the demands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs and withdraw the Right of Way permit for the STAMP pipeline through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. While you’re at it, send him an email, too: [email protected].
Click here or scroll down for more background information and a call script.
While drilling has been temporarily halted in the Refuge, this remedy is insufficient. These spills violate both the Clean Water Act and the Right of Way permit granted by the USFWS to the WNY STAMP developer, GCEDC. The Tonawanda Seneca Nation has repeatedly asked USFWS to withdraw this permit and halt construction until consultation and a full environmental review were completed. To date, USFWS has refused. Now, this violation of the Nation’s sovereignty must end. The USFWS must withdraw the Right of Way permit immediately.
Want more information? Read our September 21 press release and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s September 21 letter to the USFWS. Then pick up your phone and give Scott a call!
In solidarity,
Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation
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September 26, 2023 Action Alert - Stop the Spills! Withdraw the Right of Way Permit!
On September 19, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation was notified by the Manager of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge that “fluids associated with subsurface drilling appeared on the refuge surface outside the perimeter of the right of way.” Although this spill of hydraulic drilling fluid was reported to USFWS on September 7, the agency waited 12 days to inform the Nation, and not until reports of spills and sinkholes had appeared in local media. This notification followed more than a month of unsuccessful efforts by the Nation to be allowed to monitor drilling on the Refuge. On September 20, NY Department of Environmental Conservation notified the Nation that a frac-out spill had also occurred in mid-August. When the Nation first reported potential permit violations in early August, NYDEC claimed that their inspection found “no issues.” The did not provide the Nation with a copy of the official report - which documents the mid-August spill and other permit violations - until September 20.
While drilling has been temporarily halted in the Refuge, this remedy is insufficient. These spills violate both the Clean Water Act and the Right of Way permit granted by the USFWS to the WNY STAMP developer, GCEDC and its sewer corporation, STAMP Sewer Works. The Tonawanda Seneca Nation has repeatedly asked USFWS to withdraw this permit and halt construction until consultation and a full environmental review were completed. To date, USFWS has refused, claiming that they lack authority to do so.
As the Nation wrote in their September 22 letter to USFWS, Orleans County’s lawsuit - which has led to an injunction on pipeline construction in the County - in addition to the sinkholes and spills, provide ample justification for the agency to suspend or terminate the permit. The Nation stated that, “we have recently learned that the drilling has caused sinkholes and at least two separate spills of hydraulic fracking fluid within the Refuge. These spills constitute discharges of dredge or fill material in violation of Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1)... Not only is the spill of the hydraulic fluid without a permit a violation of the Clean Water Act, it also is a violation of the Right of Way permit. These violations justify termination of the permit by the Regional Chief.”
For more, read our 9/21 press release and J. Dale Shoemaker’s series on WNY STAMP.
—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------
So, let’s give the USFWS Regional Chief a call and tell him to withdraw the permit! While you’re at it, send him an email too.
Scott Kahan - 413-835-1931
Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge Program Northeast Region, US Fish & Wildlife Service
[email protected]
Please cc [email protected]
Here’s what to say:
“My name is X and I am calling as a concerned community member to demand that the USFWS respect the demands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs and WITHDRAW the Right of Way permit for the STAMP pipeline through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.”
Last Friday, following sustained advocacy from the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and allies like you, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) informed the Nation that it had ordered the suspension of drilling on the STAMP wastewater pipeline. Unfortunately, on the same day, the Nation also learned that damage caused by “frac-outs” in August and September is much more serious than previously known.
On September 29, USFWS sent a letter to the Genesee Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) - the WNY STAMP developer – stating that in response to spills of hydraulic drilling fluid, the emergence of sinkholes, and road damage along the construction route, the agency is suspending pipeline construction in the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and requiring GCEDC to complete a numerous steps before construction may resume. These steps include: producing a thorough report on what occurred, conducting a geotechnical engineering review, and working with NYSDOT to rebuild the local roadways damaged by pipeline construction. USFWS will also require state agencies to certify that remediation and road repair efforts meet their standards, and may require an independent federal review. These steps are likely to halt pipeline construction until at least spring 2024.
Also on September 29, NYSDEC informed the Nation that GCEDC consultants Clark Patterson and Lee (CPL) reported discovery of a spill apparently associated with an August 15 frac-out - an event not mentioned in USFWS’s suspension letter. That spill appears to have dwarfed the spills that were the basis of the USFWS suspension, with CPL estimating a release of 400-600 gallons of fracking fluid into the Refuge wetlands.
This infuriating disclosure reminds us that temporary suspension of drilling is an insufficient remedy. We know that the outpouring of calls and emails from allies like you made a critical difference in pushing the USFWS to uphold their mission and halt further environmental destruction. But the agency has still not met the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s core demand: withdraw the Right of Way permit for construction of the STAMP wastewater pipeline in the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
And so, the fight continues. As we celebrate this victory and temporary reprieve, we are assessing ways allies can continue to support the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and protect the health of our shared environment, including the Refuge, the Nation, and Oak Orchard Creek. Stay tuned for upcoming calls for solidarity action!
Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation
PS - Read J. Dale Shoemaker’s latest installment of his ongoing series investigating WNY STAMP, Feds shut down STAMP pipeline construction, including a quote from Nation citizen Grandell Logan.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check out our website!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 26, 2023 Action Alert - Stop the Spills! Withdraw the Right of Way Permit!
Update: Scott Kahan has turned off the phone and the voicemail is full. Please email instead: [email protected]
The USFWS must respect the demands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs and withdraw the Right of Way permit for the STAMP pipeline through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge!
Dear allies,
We are reaching out to you today with an urgent call to action in the fight to stop WNY STAMP and uphold the sovereignty of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation.
On Monday, September 18, State Supreme Judge Sanford Church issued a temporary restraining order stopping all construction activities on the WNY STAMP wastewater pipeline in Orleans County.
On September 19, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation was notified by the Manager of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge that “fluids associated with subsurface drilling appeared on the refuge surface outside the perimeter of the right of way.” Although this spill of hydraulic drilling fluid was first reported to USFWS on September 7, the agency waited 12 days to inform the Nation, and not until reports of spills and sinkholes were beginning to appear in local media. Then, on September 20, the Nation learned that the NY Department of Conservation had flagged a spill on August 15 - but allowed construction to continue and told the Nation that their inspection showed “no issues.”
Feeling angry? Us too. Let’s stop the spills and protect our precious wetlands from further destruction.
Here’s how to take action. Call Regional USFWS Chief Scott Kahan at 413-835-1931. Tell him that you are calling as a concerned community member to demand that the USFWS respect the demands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs and withdraw the Right of Way permit for the STAMP pipeline through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. While you’re at it, send him an email, too: [email protected].
Click here or scroll down for more background information and a call script.
While drilling has been temporarily halted in the Refuge, this remedy is insufficient. These spills violate both the Clean Water Act and the Right of Way permit granted by the USFWS to the WNY STAMP developer, GCEDC. The Tonawanda Seneca Nation has repeatedly asked USFWS to withdraw this permit and halt construction until consultation and a full environmental review were completed. To date, USFWS has refused. Now, this violation of the Nation’s sovereignty must end. The USFWS must withdraw the Right of Way permit immediately.
Want more information? Read our September 21 press release and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s September 21 letter to the USFWS. Then pick up your phone and give Scott a call!
In solidarity,
Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 26, 2023 Action Alert - Stop the Spills! Withdraw the Right of Way Permit!
On September 19, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation was notified by the Manager of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge that “fluids associated with subsurface drilling appeared on the refuge surface outside the perimeter of the right of way.” Although this spill of hydraulic drilling fluid was reported to USFWS on September 7, the agency waited 12 days to inform the Nation, and not until reports of spills and sinkholes had appeared in local media. This notification followed more than a month of unsuccessful efforts by the Nation to be allowed to monitor drilling on the Refuge. On September 20, NY Department of Environmental Conservation notified the Nation that a frac-out spill had also occurred in mid-August. When the Nation first reported potential permit violations in early August, NYDEC claimed that their inspection found “no issues.” The did not provide the Nation with a copy of the official report - which documents the mid-August spill and other permit violations - until September 20.
While drilling has been temporarily halted in the Refuge, this remedy is insufficient. These spills violate both the Clean Water Act and the Right of Way permit granted by the USFWS to the WNY STAMP developer, GCEDC and its sewer corporation, STAMP Sewer Works. The Tonawanda Seneca Nation has repeatedly asked USFWS to withdraw this permit and halt construction until consultation and a full environmental review were completed. To date, USFWS has refused, claiming that they lack authority to do so.
As the Nation wrote in their September 22 letter to USFWS, Orleans County’s lawsuit - which has led to an injunction on pipeline construction in the County - in addition to the sinkholes and spills, provide ample justification for the agency to suspend or terminate the permit. The Nation stated that, “we have recently learned that the drilling has caused sinkholes and at least two separate spills of hydraulic fracking fluid within the Refuge. These spills constitute discharges of dredge or fill material in violation of Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1)... Not only is the spill of the hydraulic fluid without a permit a violation of the Clean Water Act, it also is a violation of the Right of Way permit. These violations justify termination of the permit by the Regional Chief.”
For more, read our 9/21 press release and J. Dale Shoemaker’s series on WNY STAMP.
—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------------—----------
So, let’s give the USFWS Regional Chief a call and tell him to withdraw the permit! While you’re at it, send him an email too.
Scott Kahan - 413-835-1931
Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge Program Northeast Region, US Fish & Wildlife Service
[email protected]
Please cc [email protected]
Here’s what to say:
“My name is X and I am calling as a concerned community member to demand that the USFWS respect the demands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs and WITHDRAW the Right of Way permit for the STAMP pipeline through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.”