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Mayor Davis "Tonawanda Coke doesn't give a damn about the welfare of the community."

Posted at 6:19 PM, Aug 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-27 18:19:50-04

Neighbors along with leaders from Tonawanda and Grand Island are calling for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation to shut down the Tonawanda Coke Plant. 

It’s been a month since the DEC sent the plant a cease and desist letter, demanding Tonawanda Coke to stop all operations linked to violations, that are potentially harmful to employees and the community. But leaders in both Tonawanda and Grand Island believe nothing has changed. 

“For many decades Tonawanda Coke has proven time and time again that they don’t give a damn about the welfare of the workers or the community surrounding the plant,” City of Tonawanda Mayor Rick Davis said. 

Neighbors are concerned about the smoke that’s still coming out of the stack at the plant. Also about the report that OSHA is looking into a report of two employees getting injured at the plant on Friday. 

7 Eyewitness News phone calls to Tonawanda Coke today were not returned. 

Earlier this month the company us this statement saying in part “Tonawanda Coke shares the same goals as the DEC and strives to provide a safe environment for its employees and the surround communities.”

However, Tonawanda Coke is challenging the DEC Cease and Desist in a hearing at the DEC Region 9 Office on October 10th. 

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