Raw sewage from Olean flowing down the Allegheny River is an issue Seneca Nation members living along the waterway have had to deal with for decades. Now, leaders of both the Seneca Nation and the city of Olean are coming to the table to find a solution.
About 35 miles of the Allegheny River, or as Senecas call it, Ohi:yo`, flows through the nation’s territory in the Southern Tier. Between April and June of 2024 alone, more than 460,000 gallons of raw sewage was discharged from Olean due to heavy rainfalls. But the issue that stretches back decades may be finally nearing an end, as the two governments are convening a joint task force to facilitate upgrades to the city’s wastewater system. Seneca Nation President J.C. Seneca said it’s long overdue.
“Year after year, gallon after gallon of sewage coming into our river, and just people got so fed up with it," said Seneca. "Something needed to happen. They bring it to the attention of government, government needs to respond. And that's what we did. You know, we listen to our people. We take to heart what their feelings are, the emotions, everything that goes into that.”
The state Department of Environmental Conservation had slapped an order of compliance on the city of Olean to upgrade its wastewater infrastructure back in 2001, but several modifications have meant that order won’t go into effect until 2042. Since 2007, there's been 47 recorded discharges into the Allegheny, adding up to millions of gallons of untreated sewage.
Olean Mayor William Aiello said for both the sake of his city and the Seneca Nation, he’s working to get it done a lot sooner.
“We want to see a resolve to this. Yes, prior to 2042, we'd like to get an immediate plan in place," said Aiello. "Possibly a 90 day plan and then work on that.”
Aiello estimates it will cost between $10 million to $20 million to overhaul their equipment. Neither the city or the nation can up that amount, but are looking at grants and aid money to alleviate the cost.
“Now is the time to get it done," said Seneca. "We're going to make every effort over the weeks and months that are ahead of us to make sure that we have a plan together so that can be executed."
President Seneca said while environmental stewardship and public health are a main concern for protecting the Allegheny River from pollution, there’s a more solemn reason too.
“One of our council members the other day reminded us, because of the Kinzua [Dam] and where the river flows down there, our people are buried under that water now," Seneca said, referencing the former Cornplanter Tract the federal government seized in the 1960s. "And so this water that's polluted that's coming from here is basically also contaminating our people that are passed. I think that certainly opens your eyes and your thoughts in what kind of effect something like this has, not only on today's world and in this generation, but our past generations as well.”
The Allegheny River task force is comprised of five officials from the Seneca Nation, and five from the city of Olean. They’re holding their first action meeting in the coming weeks.
