As major polluters threaten the Finger Lakes, speakers convened on Sun Day, a national day of action, to urge Governor Hochul to protect New York’s natural resources and uphold the state’s climate commitments
Finger Lakes, NY (September 21, 2025) – Today, a wide-ranging coalition of environmental advocates, business owners, faith leaders, and elected officials gathered in the Finger Lakes to demand stronger enforcement of New York’s landmark climate law.
Speakers highlighted urgent threats to the region’s air, water communities, and environmental quality, citing the ongoing harms of Greenidge Generation, a fossil fuel-powered cryptomine on Seneca Lake, the proposed expansion of Seneca Meadows landfill, New York’s largest landfill, and the proposal for a large new data center on Cayuga Lake. Speakers emphasized that these threats violate New York’s own climate law, yet state leaders continue to turn away from their constituents and leave the Finger Lakes unprotected.
In addition to virtual remarks from Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, speakers included Assemblymember Anna Kelles, Dr. Robert Howarth of Cornell University, Vinny Aliperti of Billsboro Winery, Brady Fergusson of the Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee Finger Lakes Region, Reverend Jane Winters, Sachem Sam George of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ (Cayuga) Nation and Yvonne Taylor of Seneca Lake Guardian. Nearly 300 participants were in attendance in person and on livestream.
“The Finger Lakes are one of New York’s greatest treasures — a source of clean water, natural beauty, and community pride. But when polluters are allowed to ignore our climate laws, it puts all of that at risk. This isn’t just about land use — it’s about our health, our kids, and our future,” said Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado. “New York made a promise to lead on climate, and that promise has to mean something. We need the courage to enforce the law, stand up to corporate interests, and protect this region so it remains a place where people can live, work, and thrive for generations to come.”
“The Finger Lakes is too precious to sacrifice for the profits of corporate polluters,” said Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles. “New York passed one of the strongest climate laws in the nation, but if we allow facilities like Greenidge to keep burning fossil fuels on an expired permit or allow an expansion of a landfill like Seneca Meadows, then we walk away from our climate law and head in the opposite direction. Our communities depend on clean air, safe water, thriving farms, and a strong ecotourism economy not on pollution and industrial exploitation burning our environment and taking the profits out of the state. Today, on Sun Day, we are standing with business owners, scientists, and community leaders to demand that Governor Hochul and our state stand firm against corporate pressure. We absolutely need energy affordability in our state and building out nuclear and natural gas will only raise energy costs to New Yorkers. The way to ensure energy affordability is to create energy independent by implanting the scoping plan roadmap that was a product of our climate laws. Protecting the Finger Lakes means protecting New York’s future, and our climate law must be non-negotiable.”
The 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act set some of the nation’s most ambitious climate goals, but since its passing, Governor Hochul and state agencies have struggled to implement the law on schedule, missing key deadlines and allowing projects that contradict its emissions-reduction targets to move forward. Speakers at the rally warned that unless Governor Hochul enforces the law, New York risks falling short of climate commitments.
“Our clean air and fresh water is the lifeblood of our thriving agriculture and tourism economy, bringing $4 Billion into New York’s economy and supporting nearly 60,000 jobs. But this natural treasure is under constant threat from fossil fuel companies, waste corporations, and other polluting interests who target the Finger Lakes for profit, treating our communities as expendable,” said Yvonne Taylor, Vice President of Seneca Lake Guardian, a grassroots environmental group in the Finger Lakes Region. “We count on strong leadership to support us, but we are feeling like Governor Hochul is abandoning us. She has the power to protect our region – the power to shut down Greenidge for violating the law, and to reject the expansion of the Seneca Meadows landfill, but she must act with bravery and resolution to stand up against these corporations and fight for our communities. If she fails to enforce our nation-leading climate law, she won’t just fail the Finger Lakes — she’ll fail the entire state and send a dangerous message to the rest of the country that bold climate laws can be watered down by politics."
“Keeping old power plants for the purpose of Bitcoin mining is indefensible,” said Dr. Robert Howarth, NYS Climate Action Council Member and Atkinson Professor of Ecology & Environmental Biology at Cornell University. “The climate crisis is accelerating and the science could not be more clear. Globally, we must cut our use of fossil fuels in half over the next 10-15 years if we are serious about protecting our planet and our society. New York has one of the most progressive climate laws in the world, but it is meaningless if the State continues to ignore it. Now is the time to enforce our climate commitments, close the door on outdated fossil projects, and invest in clean, renewable energy instead.”
“The agritourism industry is the backbone of the Finger Lakes economy, with our vineyards drawing thousands of visitors from across the state and around the world,” said Vinny Aliperti, Owner of Billsboro Winery. “Businesses can’t thrive if our resources are contaminated or if climate change remains unchecked. State leaders need to properly implement clean energy policies that protect the Finger Lakes from polluters and support the livelihoods of farmers, winemakers, and small business owners.”
“The strength of the Finger Lakes is rooted in clean water, healthy ecosystems, and vibrant communities,” said Brady Fergusson, Director of Public Engagement Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee Finger Lakes Region. “By committing to renewable energy and holding wasteful industries accountable, New York can demonstrate real leadership and ensure the Finger Lakes remain a place where people want to live, work, and visit.”
“My faith is central to who I am and calls me to be a caretaker of creation,” said Reverend Jane Winters. “Having a massive garbage dump in one of the most picturesque regions of the country, and cryptomining on the shores of a freshwater lake that supplies drinking water to thousands of people is not taking care of creation. New York’s climate laws, in promising us a cleaner, safer, and more resilient tomorrow, work toward offering that care, but only if we have the courage to enforce them. Because we all live and work and breathe and benefit from the fruits of creation, we’re in this fight together, regardless of our faith (or no faith) tradition.”
“As one of ten Sachems (chiefs) representing the Cayuga nation, protecting the land, water, and air is a sacred responsibility,” said Sachem Sam George of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ (Cayuga) Nation. “When corporations exploit our resources, they dishonor that responsibility and endanger us all. Strong climate policies are essential in upholding the balance between people and the natural world, and to ensure that future generations inherit a healthy and thriving environment.”
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About Seneca Lake Guardian
Seneca Lake Guardian is a New York State not-for-profit Corporation with 501(c)(3) and is dedicated to preserving and protecting the health of the Finger Lakes, its residents and visitors, its rural community character, and its agricultural and tourist related businesses through public education, citizen participation, engagement with decision makers, and networking with like-minded organizations.