A controversial proposal to establish a landfill in Ulster County has been placed on indefinite hold following sustained public opposition and mounting environmental concerns. The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) announced the decision last week, halting its search for a site after residents in Wawarsing—where one location had been under consideration—pushed back strongly against the plan.

To better understand the impact of this shift, Radio Catskill's Patricio Robayo spoke with journalist Chris Rowley of the Shawangunk Journal, who’s been reporting on the issue extensively. You can read the full article from the Shawangunk Journal https://shawangunkjournal.com/news/2025/05/22/wawarsing-wins-ucrra-gives-up/482OKl

“The pressure was building,” Rowley said. “Wawarsing residents were deeply concerned, and this proposal had become politically toxic. No one wanted to carry it forward.”

For years, Ulster County has relied on Seneca Meadows, a sprawling landfill near the Finger Lakes, to dispose of its waste—roughly 150,000 tons each year, transported daily by truck at an annual cost of around $11 million. But with questions surrounding Seneca Meadows’ long-term viability, UCRRA sought a more local solution.

That search led to Wawarsing, a town in Ulster’s southwestern corner, bordering Sullivan County. But the proposal faced immediate criticism—not just on environmental grounds, but on equity. Wawarsing is one of Ulster’s lowest-income municipalities, and many viewed the proposal as yet another example of siting undesirable projects in economically vulnerable communities.

“This has become a broader conversation about environmental justice,” Rowley said. “It mirrors patterns we’ve seen across the country where landfills and incinerators are disproportionately placed in poorer areas.”

For now, UCRRA and Ulster County officials say they’re refocusing on waste reduction. County Executive Jen Metzger emphasized the need to minimize overall volume before considering any new infrastructure. Emerging technologies—such as thermal decomposition or gasification—are being watched closely, but Rowley noted that these innovations are still in the experimental stage.

There’s also a political angle to consider. A potential shutdown of Seneca Meadows—whether from political change in Seneca Falls or the site reaching capacity—would leave Ulster and several neighboring counties scrambling for alternatives. Rowley believes that any long-term solution will ultimately require coordination at the state level.

“I think this is headed for the governor’s desk,” he said. “We’re talking about an issue that affects not just Ulster, but Sullivan, Dutchess, Orange, Columbia—half a million tons of waste a year. The region will have to act together.”

The trucks keep rolling north to Seneca Meadows, and the conversation about how to responsibly and equitably manage waste in New York continues.