Tonawanda Seneca Nation, Sierra Club Sue Over STAMP Zoning Agreement in Western New York

The Tonawanda Seneca Nation and the Sierra Club have filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court, challenging a zoning agreement that they argue unlawfully restricts the Town of Alabama's authority over development at the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP). The suit targets an agreement between the Town of Alabama and the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), asserting it prevents the town from altering its zoning laws or comprehensive plan without GCEDC's consent, which plaintiffs claim violates New York state law.

The legal action comes as GCEDC and the Town of Alabama Planning Board are reviewing a proposal by STREAM U.S. Data Centers for a 2.2-million-square-foot, 500-megawatt hyperscale data center at the STAMP site. Opponents, including Sierra Club Vice Chair Diane Ciurczak, contend that local officials cannot address residents' concerns about noise and pollution due to the restrictive agreement. Tonawanda Seneca Nation Chief Roger Hill also emphasized that the dispute impacts the Nation's relationship with its ancestral lands and local communities, highlighting shared environmental concerns.

Plaintiffs seek to invalidate both the agreement and the zoning framework it created, which would restore the Town of Alabama's independent control over future zoning decisions at STAMP. The lawsuit is the latest development in a two-decade-long effort to develop the STAMP industrial park, which has seen over $410 million in taxpayer investment but has faced challenges in attracting long-term tenants and completing infrastructure. Environmental and Tribal groups have consistently raised concerns about the project's potential impacts on air, water, wildlife, and surrounding communities.