Niagara County lawmakers are calling for a criminal investigation of the Niagara Falls Water Board after the release of 'inky,' foul-smelling water on Saturday.
The Niagara County Legislature will attend a special meeting next week to take up four resolutions that will urge the leadership of the Water Board to resign, and calling for criminal investigations, according to a press release sent Wednesday.
“The Board’s conduct here is beyond defense, and they have lost our confidence,” said Niagara County Legislature Majority Leader Randy R. Bradt, R-North Tonawanda. “We will ask the Niagara County District Attorney (Caroline A. Wojtastzek) and (New York State) Attorney General (Eric T.) Schneiderman to examine the facts surrounding this matter and to determine if criminal charges should be brought.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo has already directed state regulators to investigate the wastewater discharges.
Bradt and other legislators drafted four resolutions Wednesday after Cuomo called for a DEC investigation of the Water Board’s actions. One of those resolutions directly calls on the Water Board's chairman, executive director and other members of management to resign.
According to the release, Bradt believes the Legislature has the votes to pass all four resolutions.
