“I am not comfortable assuring people that the emissions from Anellotech’s facility would pose no threat to their health. And if I can’t make that assurance, I can’t support the project. It’s as simple as that.”
- November 21, 2014 – Sent detailed Q&A email town residents about Anellotech: “I will not support this proposal unless I am convinced there is no danger to public health.” (read Q&A here)
- December, 2014 – Present – Made an unprecedented number of documents about Anellotech easily available to the public for review on Town of Orangetown website.
- December 8, 2014 – Spoke at community meeting in Pearl River, organized by “Stop Anellotech” (read Rockland County Times article here)
- January 21, 2015 – Opposed approval of facility with public comments at Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting (read Rockland County Times article here)
- January 23, 2015 – Signed petition against Anellotech here
- February 8 – “The Town Board has no say in the matter but that hasn’t stopped Town Supervisor Andy Stewart from siding with opponents [of Anellotech]” – Journal News
- February 11 – Published letter to the editor in Our Town & Rockland County Times newspapers: “I oppose the Anellotech project. I believe it is my duty as an elected official to speak out on projects like this which so greatly concern the community.” (read the full letter here)
- February 26 – Published letter to the editor in local newspapers urging Planning Board to postpone approval of Anellotech and re-study environmental impacts
- March 10 – Introduced resolution proposing creation of a moratorium on certain industrial uses like Anellotech, but Town Council refused to support moratorium
“As the elected representative of the people of Orangetown, I believe the people have spoken clearly that they do not want Anellotech.”
- March 12 – At Planning Board meeting opposed Board’s approval of Anellotech and urged them to revisit environmental impact declaration (read Rockland County Times article here)
- March 31 – Submitted statement opposing Anellotech to Rockland County Legislature for their hearing (read Rockland County Times article here)
- March – “Public health is more important than the growth of a single business,” said Andy Stewart. (See full article in Palisades Newsletter here)
- April 22 – Argued against approval of facility at final Planning Board hearing (see Rockland County Times article here)
- April 23 – Statement about Planning Board vote on Anellotech (read it here)
- May 12 – Introduced legislation and set public hearing for proposal to amend town code to ban manufacture of toxic chemicals benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) in order to protect public health
- June 5 – Published column in the Nyack Villager, discussing opposition to Anellotech
- June 15 – Attended and spoke at “Stop Anellotech” rally on steps of Rockland County Legislature (read Journal News article here)
- June 16 – Held public hearing on code changes banning BTX
- June 23 – Called special meeting of the Town Board to vote on code changes banning BTX. Town Council refused to support the ban
- July 14 – Again asked Town Board to vote on BTX ban, but Councilmen refused to support the ban
“If Anellotech succeeds in constructing their facility, as long as I am Supervisor, I will do everything in my power to ensure that it is rigorously and continuously monitored and that public health is protected to the greatest extent possible.”