NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Environmental and community leaders gathered Monday to push for stronger pollution controls at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Niagara Falls, calling on the state Department of Environmental Conservation to require the company to install permanent equipment that would reduce emissions from all sources at the facility by 90%.
The rally follows years of concern over the plant's release of ortho-toluidine, a chemical linked to bladder cancer.
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Niagara Falls had been emitting the cancer-causing chemical at rates of up to 7 times the current legal standards. After a 7 News I-Team report first aired in January 2025, the state DEC fined Goodyear $15,000.
Renae Kimble, president of the NAACP Niagara Falls Branch, addressed the crowd Monday.
"We are here today to send a hard-hitting message to Goodyear. The clock is ticking," Kimble said. "For over 15 years, a toxic invisible cloud has hung over our neighborhoods."
The coalition is also urging the DEC to block Goodyear from receiving permission to continue releasing ortho-toluidine during the cleaning of a piece of equipment known as the sparkler filter.
"No corporation should be allowed to dump 100 percent of a known carcinogen during routine maintenance without complete control mechanisms in place for all of that pollution," Kimble said.
Janet Lenichek, chair of the Sierra Club Niagara Group, called for more rigorous oversight from the state.
"I would say DEC needs to enforce, not just issue air permits and then, you know, it's an expired air permit, we'll get to it when we get to it. No, no, no. They need to stay on top of these air permits," Lenichek said.
WATCH: Community leaders demand stronger pollution controls at Goodyear plant in Niagara Falls
In a statement received Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for Goodyear said, "The health and safety of associates and communities where we operate are our top priority. The DEC and New York State health authorities have affirmed that our Niagara Falls facility poses no imminent threat to public health. Interim emissions controls are in place and working properly, and we are working closely with the DEC to install permanent control equipment."
The DEC confirms that those long-term controls are required to be in place by Oct. 31 of this year.
In a statement, the DEC added: "There is no imminent public health risk to the community from Goodyear's emissions."
DEC entered into an Order on Consent [dec.ny.gov] with Goodyear on January 14, 2025. The order assessed a fine and requires Goodyear to perform corrective actions that will result in short- and long-term reductions in emissions.
DEC also required the installation of interim emission controls and temporary production limits to reduce emissions of ortho-toluidine. The interim controls were installed as required and are currently operating.
The consent order also required Goodyear to limit their production operations to manage current emissions.
Finally, DEC is requiring Goodyear to implement long term controls, which are required to be installed by October 31, 2026.
Full history of DEC enforcement to hold Goodyear accountable is available on DEC’s website. There is no imminent public health risk to the community from Goodyear’s emissions.
https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/facilities-in-your-neighborhood/goodyear-tire-rubber-company [dec.ny.gov]
Meantime, Jeffrey Elder, minority leader of the Niagara County Legislature, said those gathered Monday intend to keep pressure on the company.
"We need to make sure there are tighter controls on those, and the things that are put in place need to be taken care of," Elder said.
Monday's push came as the coalition presented Dylan Keenan with the 2026 Environmental Justice Hero Award. Keenan, a former pollution permit engineer at the Department of Environmental Conservation, was credited with "courageous leadership in exposing toxic pollution and protecting community health through transparency, accountability, and a steadfast commitment to environmental justice and the right to breathe clean air."
