Western New York hasn't forgotten about the future of the former Tonawanda Coke site during the coronavirus pandemic. The Clean Air Coalition of Western New York held a public meeting Thursday night to discuss the latest on the cleanup efforts there.

On July 1, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released the Riverview Innovation and Technology Campus plan for sampling toxins at the former Tonawanda Coke site. The Riverview Innovation and Technology campus encompasses roughly 86 acres of the 102-acre site in the Town of Tonawanda.

The plan calls for a number of things including sampling on-site sediment and collecting surface soil samples. The RITC part of the site is being cleaned up through the Brownfield Cleanup Program. The Clean Air Coalition says that means at least some of the financial burden will fall on local taxpayers.

The Clean Air Coalition of Western New York is pushing for Western New Yorkers to send their concerns and thoughts on the testing plan to the DEC, like what parts of the site should be investigated.

"Tonawanda Coke is an interesting property; it has nearly 100 years of pollution in our communities and it's still leaking out into the world," said one of the participants in Thursday's online meeting.

The Clean Air Coalition is also calling for the formation of a community advisory group to further involve Western New Yorkers with the overall redevelopment of what used to be the Tonawanda Coke plant.

"It would enable the community to use its experience, knowledge, and expertise as illustrated today to be full partners in the process," said another meeting participant.

The DEC will accept comments on the draft remedial investigation work plan until July 31.

"We have felt Tonawanda Coke's legacy in our bodies for too long and if we don't have outlets to get it out, it's going to make us more sick," a meeting attendee said.