BUFFALO, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced April 2 that Peter J. Battaglia Jr. and affiliated corporations have been ordered by a state Supreme Court to close down an allegedly illegal concrete crushing and demolition processing facility in South Buffalo.
“This court decision is a victory for the Seneca-Babcock residents who will no longer be forced to breathe in harmful dust and debris,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “As we made clear in court, companies have a fundamental responsibility to comply with state law — and my office won’t hesitate to act to keep New York communities clean, safe, and healthy.”
According to the allegations, Battaglia operated the facility without solid waste management and air permits that are required by state law. Additionally, Battaglia purportedly allowed dust, debris and odor to spread from the facility into the Seneca Babcock neighborhood.
“For too long, this facility was skirting the laws and negatively impacting the environment in the Seneca Babcock neighborhood,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement. “New York state has zero tolerance for those who put the public’s health at risk, and I’d like to thank the attorney general and DEC’s air resources and legal team for their collaborative efforts in bringing the perpetrator to justice.”