It was standing room only at Wednesday's Romulus Town Board meeting. Most in attendance were there for the public hearing about two proposed moratoria.
The Town Board of Romulus passed a moratorium on all waste to energy projects for six months.
The action was taken in the wake of a proposal for the largest trash incinerator in the state to be placed on the former Seneca Army Depot. The Rochester company making the proposal withdrew its application for a special town zoning permit and is now seeking a state approval through the Public Service Commission.
During the meeting, David Kaiser, the Town Supervisor, said,
"It’s a terrible project to have in the Finger Lakes. Between the two biggest Finger Lakes we have in the Finger Lakes watershed. It’s bad for so many reasons."
It was the first time he has publicly shared his opinion of the project.
The incinerator would need to draw over 400,000 gallons of water per day from Seneca Lake for its operations. The water would come from the Lake Shore Landing neighborhood where Mary Anne Kowalski lives.
"I’m on the Board of Seneca Lake Guardian and we’re taking the lead on opposing this project because we think it is a very bad environmental proposition for the community," said Kowalski.
During the moratorium, the Town intends to work on revising zoning ordinances on renewable energy projects. The town placed a six-month moratorium on solar energy proposals over 25 kilowatts. It would not prohibit residential solar installations.