Take Urgent Action TODAY to Require Governor Cuomo to Protect Cayuga Lake from "Un-Permitted" Cargill Salt Mining Sodium Ferrocyanide Discharges and Pollution Problems Dating Back More Than 40 Years

Urgent Action Request: become a signatory to our Coalition Letter Which Requests That Governor Cuomo Prohibit Issuance of State Permits/Authorizations for Salt Mining Under Cayuga Lake and Require a Transition to Salt Mining Only Under Dry Land

Call Governor Cuomo TODAY at 518 474 8390 to request that he:

1) Rescind Cargill's Permits for General Mining and Shaft #4 Construction granted by the State Department of Environmental Conservation.

2) Require Cargill to Phase Out its Existing Salt Mine under Cayuga Lake and Begin Mining Salt Under Dry Land in a New Mine.

Greetings Activists,

After a great deal of hard work behind the scenes for nearly 18 months, I am thrilled to announce that we are making UNPRECEDENTED PROGRESS in our campaign to safeguard Cayuga Lake from a catastrophic collapse of the massive 13,000 acre Cargill salt mine in Lansing, NY located a half-mile under this historic Finger Lake.

See: Cargill Cayuga Mine Under Cayuga Lake Map

Our campaign was launched because in 1994, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation failed to prevent the collapse of the largest salt mine in America in Retsof, NY, near Geneseo. As a result, a pristine groundwater aquifer was polluted. A similar failure of the Cargill mine could irreparably devastate Cayuga Lake, a critical environmental and economic resource of incalculable value.

Toxics Targeting's Latest Regional News Coverage

Toxics Targeting just received major front-page news coverage by documenting that "un-permitted" discharges of sodium ferrocyanide into Cayuga Lake were discovered on February 7, 2019. As a result, CYANIDE was reportedly released into the drinking water supply source for more than 30,000 local residents.

The public was never informed of this public health threat until Toxics Targeting broke the story. Special thanks to Jeff Platsky for his powerful reporting in The Ithaca Journal, The Press & Sun-Bulletin and The Star-Gazette.

See: Cargill Notice of Violation (NOV) of SPDES Permit and Campaign to Halt Cargill Salt Mining Under Cayuga Lake

According to Cargill's own report, the source of this contamination still has not been comprehensively cleaned up in strict compliance with all applicable New York regulatory requirements.

Decades of DEC's Failure to Protect Cayuga Lake

Even more shocking, Toxics Targeting documented multiple "un-permitted" discharges of "CYANIDE," " UNKNOWN PETROLEUM," "DIESEL" AND "CHLORIDES" from the Cargill salt mine DATING BACK MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

See: Selected Cargill Spills and NYSDEC vs Cargill - Consent Order December 1984 regarding SPDES Violation

It is Now or Maybe Never to End Salt Mining Under Cayuga Lake

For all of these reasons, our campaign now has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to require Governor Cuomo to phase out Cargill's existing salt mine under Cayuga Lake in order to start a new salt mine beneath nearby dry land.

Cargill's enormous existing salt mine cannot continue to operate for many more years without constructing a massive new #4 ventilation shaft. Fortunately, drilling of Shaft #4 has not yet begun, so the timing of our request to end salt mining under Cayuga Lake is perfect.

Drilling could begin any day, however, so we have no time to lose

A possible portent of good things to come is that Toxics Targeting recently discovered Cargill has begun obtaining "Salt Operating and Mining Rights Indenture" leases in areas near Cayuga Lake. This could be an indication that Cargill is preparing to end salt mining under Cayuga Lake and to begin mining salt under nearby dry land.

See: Cargill Leases* in the Town of Lansing, NY

Conclusion

Our sensible plan to safeguard Cayuga Lake while allowing continued salt mining under dry land has gained the support of hundreds citizens, dozens of groups and important State elected officials. Cargill could be allowed to continue to mine salt under an expired general mining permit while preparing for the construction of a new mine under nearby dry land.

We must make sure that Governor Cuomo requires Cargill to implement our plan by rescinding the General Mining and Shaft #4 Construction Permits recently granted by the Department of Environmental Conservation. I would deeply appreciate all your efforts to help achieve this goal.

In conclusion, if Governor Cuomo is not required to protect Cayuga Lake from pollution hazards that have impaired this historic waterbody's "best use" for more than 40 years, a terrible precedent would be set for not cleaning up water contamination hazards all over New York State that exceed water quality protection standards.

Now you know what we are fighting for. All for one, one for all. Smile and dial. Do not stop until you drop.

Onward and upward. More info shortly.

Very best regards,

Walter

See a Summary of Toxics Targeting's: Campaign to Halt Cargill Salt Mining Under Cayuga Lake