Gas Free Seneca is an environmentalist group based in New York. It was founded as a coalition of businesses and residents in opposition to a proposed construction project that would have created liquid petroleum and gas storage infrastructure in New York’s Seneca Lake. It worked with environmental law firm Earthjustice to prevent the project. ^{1 2}

History

Gas Free Seneca, a coalition of businesses and residents, was founded in 2010 to oppose a proposal from Crestwood Midstream, a Texas energy company, to store liquid propane and butane in abandoned salt caverns on Seneca Lake in Reading, New York. Together with Earthjustice and general public pressure, the proposal was struck down when Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) state Commissioner Basil Seggos refused to grant Crestwood a permit. ³

After the victory, Gas Free Seneca agreed to become an affiliate of Seneca Lake Guardian, itself an affiliate of the Waterkeeper Alliance, which had approached Gas Free Seneca with the offer. “It’s a natural evolution from a single issue as Gas Free Seneca to other threats to Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes as a whole,” wrote president Joseph Campbell at the time. Gas Free Seneca said it would set its sights on opposing a proposed incinerator in Romulus, New York and on protecting Cayuga Lake as well, utilizing Seneca Lake Guardian’s litigation abilities and working with Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association. ⁴

As of October 2022, Gas Free Seneca’s website was a blank page with a note that reads: “GasFreeSeneca,org will be back, we’re just doing a little work on some things.” ⁵ At that time, it had an active Twitter page. ⁶

Leadership

As of 2018, the president of Gas Free Seneca was Joseph Campbell, a resident of Hector, New York. Yvonne Taylor, also from Hector, was the vice president, and Mary Anne Kowalski from Romulus, New York was the treasurer and research director. ⁷

1. “Protecting Seneca Lake From the Gas Industry.” Earthjustice.org. Accessed October 7, 2022.
2. Shaw, David L. FLTimes, May 24, 2017. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://www.fltimes.com/news/back-at-it-gas-free-seneca-continues-efforts-to-stop-crestwood-s-lpg-plan/article_a55a15f8-4087-11e7-a8fc-17764ac90e3d.html.
3. Shaw, David L. “Gas Free Seneca joins Seneca Lake Guardian, focuses on incinerator.” FLTimes, July 20, 2018. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://www.fltimes.com/news/gas-free-seneca-joins-seneca-lake-guardian-focuses-on-incinerator/article_3caa229e-5a1a-575f-a86d-b6a4a8f85be2.html.
4. Gas Free Seneca. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://gasfreeseneca.com/.
5. Gas Free Seneca. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://gasfreeseneca.com/.
6. “Gas Free Seneca.” Twitter. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://mobile.twitter.com/freeseneca.
7. Shaw, David L. “Gas Free Seneca joins Seneca Lake Guardian, focuses on incinerator.” FLTimes, July 20, 2018. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://www.fltimes.com/news/gas-free-seneca-joins-seneca-lake-guardian-focuses-on-incinerator/article_3caa229e-5a1a-575f-a86d-b6a4a8f85be2.html.