Operations remain paused at a Cattaraugus County manufacturing facility as the Department of Environmental Conservation continues to monitor water quality issues in Ischua Creek.
The first report of organic waste discharge from Great Lakes Cheese in Franklinville was early last week, when hundreds of fish and mammals in Ischua Creek died in a mysterious mass die-off.
In the company’s first public statement regarding the matter on Thursday, Great Lakes Cheese said it will continue to cooperate with state agencies during the investigation of the discharge. Both the state Department of Health and Environmental Conservation are looking into Great Lakes Cheese’s wastewater treatment operations, as well as other factors, such as how low dissolved oxygen, combined with warm and low stream levels, could have contributed to the mass die-off in Ischua Creek. The company's workforce has returned to the facility, with a focus on warehousing and order fulfillment during the pause.
A separate statement was released today as community members announced on social media plans to peacefully protest outside the plant. In response to the protests, Great Lakes Cheese said, “We respect the right of our neighbors to voice their concerns and we are working to restore their trust as we continue to rectify this matter.”
