History of GCEDC outreach with Tonawanda Seneca Nation
Genesee County Economic Development Center's (GCEDC’s) outreach efforts to the Tonawanda Seneca Nation (the Nation) began early in the STAMP development process, dating back to the initial environmental review conducted by GCEDC. While the Nation did not initially elect to participate directly in the environmental review process, GCEDC and the Nation worked collaboratively on topics such as infrastructure location, acquisition and surveying of properties neighboring the Nation, and meetings with prospective companies.
2016 – 2020:
From 2016 to 2020, GCEDC continued its efforts to permit the development of various infrastructure components of the STAMP Site. GCEDC also modified its existing buffer to expand out to 400’ along the border of the Nation’s Territory at the Nation’s request.
- The GCEDC updates SEQR with changes requested by the Nation, including expanding the existing 100 ft. ‘no-build’ buffer to 400 ft.
- At the Nation’s request, pretreated wastewater discharges are proposed to be routed away from the Tonawanda Creek to Oak Orchard Creek a significant distance away from Nation Territory in a different watershed than Tonawanda Creek.
- The GCEDC agrees to fund a Nation archeological monitor as part of archeological field work being conducted at STAMP.
- The GCEDC and the permitting agencies negotiate a Programmatic Agreement with the Nation to address the Nation’s concerns regarding their Territory’s status as a potential Traditional Cultural Property (TCP). While the Nation declined to sign the Programmatic Agreement, GCEDC complies with the terms of the Programmatic Agreement for all onsite projects requiring federal permitting to avoid impacts to the Nation’s Territory.
- Under the Programmatic Agreement, the Nation agreed to complete a formal assessment of the Nations territory as a Traditional Cultural Property. Monthly progress meetings are recommended by the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of an anticipated 12-month TCP process. The process began in 2016 and after 18 months of meetings there was no real progress made on the TCP study by the Nation. The TCP study has not been completed to this day.
