{"id":65738,"date":"2025-07-01T15:02:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T19:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=65738"},"modified":"2025-07-01T15:02:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T19:02:14","slug":"genesee-orleans-stamp-developer-gcedc-plans-to-use-controversial-drilling-method-to-install-sewer-line-under-local-waterways-according-to-the-allies-of-the-tonawanda-seneca-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/01\/genesee-orleans-stamp-developer-gcedc-plans-to-use-controversial-drilling-method-to-install-sewer-line-under-local-waterways-according-to-the-allies-of-the-tonawanda-seneca-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/STAMP Developer GCEDC plans to use controversial drilling method to install sewer line under local waterways according to the Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Press release<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local residents are protesting the Genesee Economic Development Center (GCEDC)\u2019s plans to use horizontal directional drilling (HDD) on the WNY Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) site in Alabama, New York to install the first segment of a planned wastewater treatment pipeline Village of Oakfield Wastewater Treatment Facility Proposed Connection of STAMP Force Main Basis of Design Report – June 2024.pdf – Google Drive<\/a> that would carry 20,000 or more gallons of untreated wastewater from STAMP to the Village of Oakfield Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility Oakfield WWTP Force Main BODR Route Map 1.25 (1).pdf – Google Drive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly two years ago, GCEDC\u2019s first attempt at constructing a STAMP Wastewater Treatment Pipeline resulted in \u2018frac outs\u2019 that spilled 500-700 gallons of hydraulic drilling fluid into wetlands of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (INWR)Feds shut down construction of pipeline for STAMP industrial park : Investigative Post<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

GCEDC now plans to install a section of the rerouted pipeline on the STAMP site using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) – the method that proved disastrous in 2023. GCEDC intends to use this controversial method under waterways that flow directly onto the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and into the INWR. STAMP_Maps.pdf – Google Drive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As in summer 2023, not only does GCEDC intend to begin construction of the STAMP Wastewater Treatment Pipeline without carrying out adequate soils testing, they are also taking action despite lacking necessary permits DEC materials – Google Drive<\/a> and agreements for construction of this pipeline and treatment of the wastewater. While GCEDC claims that they have finalized construction and supply agreements with the Village of Oakfield, these documents remain unsigned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Village of Oakfield Construction and Supply Agreements – unsigned – Google Drive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stakes of this planned construction are high – the US Department of Agriculture has deemed soils in this area \u201cpoorly drained\u201d and thus poorly suited to HDD. Wetland_STAMP_Memorandum (1).pdf – Google Drive<\/a> Frac outs in this location would pollute Tonawanda Seneca Nation waters and threaten the health of Nation citizens, who use Nation waterways for subsistence and who rely on well water. Other local residents also rely on well water supplied by waterways that would be impacted by GCEDC\u2019s planned drilling. STAMP_Maps.pdf – Google Drive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GCEDC was forced to seek an alternate route for the STAMP Wastewater Treatment Pipeline following the US Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s June 2024 revocation of a key right-of-way permit allowing construction of the pipeline through INWR. SEQR Update with GCEDC 7 1 24.pdf – Google Drive<\/a> U.S Fish & Wildlife revoke key permit for STAMP industrial park : Investigative Post<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GCEDC now proposes to build a sewer pipeline that would pump raw sewage from STAMP uphill and under multiple waterways, as well as over a former gypsum mine, to the Village of Oakfield Wastewater Treatment Facility, which lacks a current SPDES permit. Gypsum_Mine_STAMP_Memorandum.pdf – Google Drive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To reach grade, this \u201cforce main\u201d would require three separate pump stations along the route, each designed to collect raw sewage in a \u201cwet well.\u201d Treated wastewater would be discharged into a tributary of Oak Orchard Creek, Oakfield Force Main Discharge Map 6.24.pdf – Google Drive<\/a> which is already phosphorus impaired. While the pipeline is being designed and constructed, a process that GCEDC claims would be complete by 2027<\/p>\n\n\n\n

at the earliest, GCEDC plans to hold raw sewage in tanks on the STAMP site and transport these sewage-filled tanks by truck to the Oakfield facility. A damning review by third-party experts raises serious concerns about impacts from the proposed pipeline to local public health and the environment. STAMP BODR Pipeline Review by SUEFC Draft_v3.docx – Google Docs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the afternoon of June 27, 2025, GCEDC denied a request by the Tonawanda Seneca Nation\u2019s to pause its planned construction of the STAMP wastewater pipeline to allow for sufficient soils testing. Not only did GCEDC state that they could not \u201caccommodate this request\u201d to protect Nation citizens\u2019 health and safety, they also provided 100 new pages of technical information – including information that confirms the risk of frac out from the use of horizontal directional drilling in the planned location. The Nation has since repeated its request. 6\/27 WWTP Docs – Google Drive<\/a> TSN Ltr to USACE & DEC re HDD Pause 6.30.2025.pdf – Google Drive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite 15 years of effort and more than $410 million in taxpayer subsidies, GCEDC has struggled to attract viable tenants or construct basic infrastructure at the rural site proposed to become a \u201cmega industrial park.\u201dSTAMP is struggling to fill its industrial park in Genesee County : Investigative Post<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agency pivoted to data centers to fill a gap in financing for the onsite electrical substation following the withdrawal of funding from Plug Power, which paused construction on its green hydrogen manufacturing facility in 2023. Edwards Vacuum is the only tenant under construction at STAMP. Plug Power woes cause issues at STAMP, spark data center fight : Investigative Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Press release Local residents are protesting the Genesee Economic Development Center (GCEDC)\u2019s plans to use horizontal directional drilling (HDD) on the WNY Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) site in Alabama, New York to install the first segment of a planned wastewater treatment pipeline Village of Oakfield Wastewater Treatment \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":65742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,6],"tags":[5217,432,2277],"class_list":["post-65738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesee-county","category-orleans-county","tag-allies-of-the-tonawanda-seneca-nation","tag-gcedc","tag-stamp"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-h6i","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":52656,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/04\/25\/genesee-county-gcedc-working-with-oakfield-alabama-to-create-a-force-main-for-stamp\/","url_meta":{"origin":65738,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/GCEDC working with Oakfield\/Alabama to create a force main for STAMP","author":"aka","date":"April 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) is pleased to announce that we are working closely with the towns of Oakfield and Alabama, along with the village of Oakfield and regulatory agencies to construct a force main to accommodate the current projects at STAMP and a potential future\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":66466,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/genesee-county-gcedc-force-main-wetland-impact-permits-relinquished\/","url_meta":{"origin":65738,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/GCEDC force main wetland impact permits relinquished","author":"aka","date":"July 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Request initiated after change in proposed construction method; sanitary sewage treatment agreement Press release BATAVIA, NY \u2013 The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) today announced that it was relinquishing permits issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for wetland impacts associated with horizontal directional drilling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69850,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/11\/08\/genesee-county-allies-of-the-tonawanda-seneca-nation-hold-rally-in-front-of-city-hall-to-celebrate-and-continue-the-fight-against-a-larger-proposed-data-center-at-stamp-in-alabama\/","url_meta":{"origin":65738,"position":2},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation hold rally in front of City Hall to celebrate and continue the fight against a larger proposed data center at STAMP in Alabama","author":"aka","date":"November 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation held a victory rally and press conference at City Hall in Batavia on Saturday afternoon. Speakers celebrated the group's collective efforts and hard work over the past few years in fighting proposed data centers looking to take up residence in Alabama, NY, near the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alabama"","block_context":{"text":"Alabama","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/alabama\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251108_122726-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251108_122726-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251108_122726-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251108_122726-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251108_122726-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65890,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/09\/genesee-county-village-of-oakfield-to-provide-wastewater-treatment-services-for-stamp\/","url_meta":{"origin":65738,"position":3},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Village of Oakfield to provide wastewater treatment services for STAMP","author":"aka","date":"July 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Approximately $4.5 million to be invested in village infrastructure as part of agreement with STAMP Sewer Works Corporation Press release OAKFIELD, NY \u2013 The STAMP Sewer Works Corporation and the Village of Oakfield have reached an agreement to collaborate on the design, construction, and operation of a new force main,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48243,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/11\/10\/wny-allies-of-the-tonawanda-seneca-nation-celebrate-the-229th-anniversary-of-the-historic-canandaigua-treaty-with-a-call-to-stop-wny-stamp\/","url_meta":{"origin":65738,"position":4},"title":"WNY\/Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation celebrate the 229th Anniversary of the historic Canandaigua Treaty with a call to stop WNY STAMP","author":"aka","date":"November 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release The Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation are commemorating the 229th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Canandaigua on November 11, 2023 by calling on State and Federal officials to honor the Treaty and stop the WNY STAMP mega-industrial site, currently being constructed on the Tonawanda\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "WNY"","block_context":{"text":"WNY","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/wny\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47099,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/09\/21\/genesee-county-alabama-tonawanda-seneca-nation-concerned-about-drilling-fluids-that-appeared-on-the-refuge-surface\/","url_meta":{"origin":65738,"position":5},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Alabama\/Tonawanda Seneca Nation concerned about drilling fluids that appeared on the Refuge surface","author":"aka","date":"September 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release Construction of a controversial industrial wastewater pipeline slated to service the WNY STAMP mega industrial site has been suspended based on reports of sinkholes and drilling fluid spills, according to a United State Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) notification sent to the Tonawanda Seneca Nation. According to Iroquois\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alabama"","block_context":{"text":"Alabama","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/alabama\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oakfield-WWTP-Force-Main-BODR-Route-Map-1.25-1.jpg?fit=816%2C1056&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65738"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65743,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65738\/revisions\/65743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}