ITHACA, N.Y. — Joining a growing number of local municipalities, the Tompkins County Legislature passed a resolution urging the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to further scrutinize the environmental impact of the Cargill Salt Mine located beneath Cayuga Lake. The City of Ithaca’s Common Council may soon follow suit.
The resolution urges the DEC to either deny Cargill’s permit application to store brine water in a 150-acre abandoned section of the sub-surface mine or rescind the negative declaration of environmental significance, which was passed last November, and require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Eight other municipalities in Tompkins County have passed similar resolutions directed at Cargill.
According to previous reporting by The Ithaca Voice, the storage area will be used to store groundwater that is gradually leaking into the mine. Cargill officials have argued that vacant mine space is frequently used for groundwater storage and would provide over 15 years of space, though local environmental advocates have used the application process to argue that Cargill should be more transparent about the mine’s operations and impacts before the application is approved.
Those who oppose the plan also point to certain examples from the past that show the potential risks of mines under bodies of water, most notably the 1994 collapse of the Retsof Salt Mine. After that collapse, the U.S. Department of Interior stated in 2013 that “salty water can destabilize overlying rock layers and lead to their eventual sagging and collapse,” though evidence of that possibility has not been reported at the mine beneath Cayuga Lake.
After introducing the resolution to the county legislature, legislator Veronica Pillar explained Cargill has never had to conduct a full EIS, which advocates of the resolution say would allow the opportunity for an independent review of the mine and for public input on its future plans.
The resolution states that Cargill’s plan “raises serious questions about the safety and environmental integrity of Cayuga Lake.”
Legislator Mike Sigler moved to amend the resolution, eliminating verbiage that stated “the ongoing operation of the mine conflicts with Tompkins County commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, mitigating climate change impacts as outlined in the county’s comprehensive plan and environmental policies,” arguing that no evidence was presented to support those statements.
Despite this, even with an amended resolution, Sigler said he would not vote in favor of the final draft. His concerns were echoed by legislators Rich John, Dan Klein and Randy Brown, the latter of whom said he would vote for the resolution if the verbiage was removed.
Legislator Deborah Dawson opposed the amendment, arguing that the impact of the mine on the lake is unclear. An EIS would give the public a better understanding of the potential risks of storing brine water in the deepest section of the mine, as well as a deeper assessment of the mine overall.
Environmental advocacy groups, most prominently Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) locally, have unsuccessfully pushed for an EIS for years, she said.
“The problem is that the low probability is more than offset by the catastrophic result that a collapse could have,” Dawson said. “All I would really like to see is transparency and an environmental impact study.”
Sigler’s proposed amendment passed in an 8-3 vote.
Pillar moved another amendment, which was accepted, adding the towns of Caroline and Lansing to the list of municipalities that have passed similar resolutions. The total list now includes the Towns of Ulysses, Ithaca, Enfield, Newfield, Danby and Dryden, along with Caroline and Lansing.
Legislator Mike Lane continued deliberations of the main motion by expressing support for a resolution asking New York State to require an EIS, but pushed back because the proposed resolution “doesn’t really say that.”
“It has a lot of other language in here,” he said. “I’m just worried that what’s being proposed here is a precursor to asking the mine to close.”
While the final resolution does not directly mention the closing of the mine, it does urge the DEC to deny the permit or conduct an EIS.
“Nobody is trying to close the mine, except perhaps Cargill,” Dawson said in response, referring to earlier comments from CLEAN members who allege the mine is up for sale, according to reporting by The Deal.
Lane and Sigler opposed the resolution because of the possibility that it could be construed as pushing for the closing of the mine, putting an estimated 164 jobs in peril. They were not swayed by Dawson or Pillar’s comments that the resolution focused on protecting the lake’s “precious” fresh water, not closing the mine.
“At the end of the day, meet the requirements the government set out,” Pillar said before the vote. “It’s disappointing why [Cargill] won’t engage with the community more, but we shouldn’t just let their decision be the decision. Cargill Incorporated is not in charge of Tompkins County.”
The motion to accept the resolution carried 8-3, with Lane, Sigler and Legislator Lee Shurtleff opposed.
Cargill officials did not return a request for comment.
The approval of the motion was celebrated by Stephanie Redmond, a member of the environmental action group CLEAN and the Enfield town supervisor. She expressed support for the resolution during public comment.
“People don’t really think about the size of this project underneath their lake,” she said in an interview with The Ithaca Voice. “If it was above ground, it would be a huge conversation, and you would have an insistence on public input and a public hearing.”
If the DEC were to conduct an EIS, Redmond said public opposition to the operation could be heard concerning the risks to water resources for the benefit of a multibillion-dollar corporation.
Among the concerns she has with the safety of the mine, Redmond worries that a hydrogeologic connection could form between the lake and the mine, flooding the mine and turning the lake saline. Such an event would not only require a massive cleanup effort but also impact the local tourism economy that relies on the lake, she said.
Beyond requesting an EIS, Redmond said the county should request more information about Cargill’s future plans for the mine and an improved state-held bond to monitor the mine if it does close, with margin for potential remediation.
Redmond also mentioned the safety of Cargill’s non-unionized workers, a sentiment that was echoed by fellow CLEAN member John Dennis at the meeting.
“Fifty-four years, no EIS. By contrast, American Rock Salt, a local company whose workforce is unionized, they have been required to do two [Environmental Impact Statements], and I think they are a safer mine because of it,” he said before the legislature.
At the end of 2023, the Cayuga Salt Mine employed 205 workers, but by the end of 2024, that number had dropped to 164, according to Mine Safety Health Administration data. For Redmond, this downsizing trend reinforces the rumors of Cargill’s intentions to exit the salt business.
Cargill recently announced a five percent cut of its global workforce, or about 8,000 jobs total. Cargill CEO Brian Sikes promised to restructure the company, which according to the Minnesota Star Tribune, “could result in selling off parts of Cargill’s portfolio.” Meanwhile, the company’s owners made $2 billion from stock buybacks and one-time dividends, according to further reporting by the Star Tribune.
Although this is not the first time they’ve advocated for an EIS, Redmond is more hopeful this time around that they’ll be successful.
“I think [collective action] is really important. It’s really inspiring,” she said. “ I think that in the face of a lot of division that we’re seeing in our society these days, I think clean water and the need to protect clean water is something that crosses all demographics.”
On Wednesday, the City of Ithaca Common Council met to discuss a nearly identical resolution. The discussion was moved to the Feb. 5 meeting with no pushback.
“I’m happy to have us sign onto this as quickly as possible,” Alderperson Margaret Fabrizio said.
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