Dairy Plant Denies Responsibility for Deer River Pollution, Community Demands Action and Answers from Authorities

The operators of a dairy plant in St. Lawrence County, accused of polluting the Deer River, are not convinced they are responsible. The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has cited the plant for violating water quality standards, asserting that the plant’s discharges are primarily contributing to the pollution. The pollution, identified as a white, filmy substance, has also been associated with a foul smell in the area near North Lawrence.

During a meeting with local residents, Erik Hanna, the Senior Director of Safety and Compliance for Upstate Niagara Cooperative, which owns North Country Dairy, insisted that the plant was not contaminating the river.

However, the residents were skeptical and pointed out that the plant had been cited twice by the DEC, indicating ongoing issues. An official from the dairy mentioned that the community seemed to have more information about the DEC’s investigation than the plant did, which the residents found troubling.

The meeting, held at the Tri-Town Pavilion, followed a presentation by the DEC the previous week. Don Meissner, a local resident and host of the show “Fishing Behind the Lines,” spoke passionately about the impact of pollution on the community.

He highlighted the significance of the Deer River for fishing and the need to restore the river to its former state. The community expressed a strong desire to see the river cleaned up, echoing Meissner’s sentiments.

Dairy plant leaders stated that they are conducting their own investigations into the river’s condition. They reported that their preliminary findings did not identify the sewer fungus cited by the DEC. The CEO of Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Kevin Ellis, mentioned that various factors, including climate change, could be contributing to the issues, and expressed uncertainty about the plant’s role in the pollution.

In their presentation, the dairy plant leaders also discussed their compliance with the state’s wastewater regulations under the ‘SPDES’ permit. They emphasized their commitment to addressing the pollution issue promptly and expressed disappointment with the communication from the DEC.

To improve transparency, Ellis announced plans to create a website where residents can report pollution and odor complaints and access information about the plant’s operations.