Living Downwind, Rallying Upwind – Podcast

By Mercedes Mack

Learn how the Clean Air Coalition of New York, a small grassroots organization fighting to bring the J.D. Tonawanda Coke plant to justice for pollution, did just that.

In a small town of Tonawanda in New York State, a protest held days before made the Oct 11, 2009 front page of their local newspaper the Buffalo News. The small piece reported the high rates of cancer in the town and the general consensus among experts, notably the Chief of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Air Toxics Section confirmed high rates of pollutants around the Tonawanda Coke plant. The Clean Air Coalition (CAC) of New York, founded by local resident Jackie James Creedon in an effort to educate and organize the community on the effects of pollution by the J.D. Crane Coke Plant. The grossroots movement’s agenda called for J.D. Crane Coke Plant to be held accountable for its pollution and the devastation it has unleashed on the surrounding community.

Until this time, the CAC had been going through the political system to address their grievances- meeting with their elected politicians, petitioning, and writing letters. The CAC also publicized evidence such as campaign contributions from J.D. Crane to politicians, collected air samples, and publicized testimonials from residents. It wasn’t until Sen. Chuck Shumer’s request for a community meeting with the J.D. Crane was denied, that citizens joined the movement.

The CAC seized the moment and rallied with only 75 people outside the plant. With a megaphone, signs, elected officials, community members and organizers “created a stink” about the dangerous pollution by the plant. Although small, it was provocative enough for the context of Tonawanda that it made the front page of the local newspaper the Buffalo News. The local and national media coverage that followed the rally was a watershed moment for the movement- two months later, the EPA raided Tonawanda Coke after it refused to submit to a request for testing.

In 2013, Tonawanda Coke was convicted of 14 counts of polluting the air and water of the surrounding community and $200 million in fines. Plant official Mark Kamholz faced prison time of up to 75 years.

In court testimony 4 years later, an EPA official stated that it was the front page article in the Buffalo News that prompted the EPA to act.

CACWNY Erin Heaney leading the rally outside the J.D. Coke plant in Tonawanda.

Image from: Clean Air Coalition Picking Up Steam and Staff- A Chat with Erin Heaney.

 

A short 6 min video about the rally: Winning the Battle Against Tonawanda Coke