Ortt meets with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin

Submitted by the Office of New York State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt

On Thursday, New York State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin regarding the discovery of elevated radiation levels in the Town of Niagara and surrounding areas of Western New York.

During the meeting, Ortt spoke with Zeldin about the latest developments affecting local homeowners – and stressed the need for continued federal leadership, accelerated testing and remediation, clear communication with residents and government partners, and stronger coordination between the EPA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Department of Health. 

Ortt also used the meeting to underscore his efforts within the State Legislature to push for the passage and signing of his bill, Senate Bill S.10672, which would expand New York state’s Superfund program to include radioactive and radiological waste. Under current state law, New York’s Superfund includes various hazardous and toxic wastes, but explicitly excludes radiation.

“From the beginning, I’ve committed myself and my office to advocating for affected residents, and assisting them in connecting with EPA, DEC and DOH resources,” Ortt said. “I’ve been on the ground and met with families whose homes and properties are spiking radioactive levels off the charts – nobody should have to live like this. Administrator Zeldin is fully aware of our situation, and agrees that my bill is a common-sense solution that would give our state more tools to quickly and effectively test and remediate radioactive properties.” 

Zeldin said, “The Trump EPA has been working tirelessly to address potential radiological contamination in Western New York and protect the health of residents. We’ve surged resources into the region and have worked to ensure maximum transparency with impacted residents and the public. Make no mistake: This is a top priority for us, and we’re committed to coordinating with the state until the job is done.”

In the coming days, Ortt plans on directly contacting affected residents to thoroughly discuss details of the meeting with Zeldin.

He said, “I’d like to thank Administrator Zeldin for meeting with me, the outstanding work they are doing regarding this situation, and for making Western New York a priority.”