Proposed Injection Well Site in Pulteney
February 03, 2010
Heron Hill Winery's official statement in opposition of the proposed Injection well site in Pulteney.
This letter has been sent to Congressman Eric Massa, Senator George Winner, Assemblyman Jim Bacalles, Assemblyman Brian Kolb, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, every town supervisor in the Keuka Lake Watershed as well as the DEC.
---
I am writing to voice my concern over project DEC ID#8-466200200001, otherwise known as the proposed Bergstresser Brine Disposal Facility. As a long-time winery owner and grape grower I can’t help but be distressed over this proposed facility located one mile from Keuka Lake and just miles from my winery. While New York is still wrestling with the issue of allowing hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale due to the many unknowns of its environmental effects, it seems imprudent to allow the by-product of said operations to be stored in a sensitive watershed area.
Years of farming have taught me that water seeks its own level, and although I’m sure Chesapeake Appalachia has given all assurances that leaks will not occur at the site, the reality is that environmental disasters do occur. Why open ourselves up to that possibility? Why jeopardize a wine and tourism industry that brings billions of dollars to the state each year? Wastewater should be treated in an appropriate treatment facility, not dumped into wells, sealed, and abandoned for later generations to worry about.
For over 30 years I have managed my vineyards sustainably, always trying to control the negative impact on the lake and often times using more expensive, labor-intensive methods to do so. The thought of all my years of hard work being undone in an instant with a toxic spill is heart-wrenching. This is an agricultural region, we depend on the land and the water for our livelihoods, and I hope that our great grandchildren won’t shake their heads in disbelief at the decisions we make today. Please take this into consideration as you review this case. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
John Ingle
Owner/CEO
Heron Hill Winery
« Back
 |
 |
 |
 |
  |
|||
