Niagara County radiological contamination and the state-federal response fight
A regional radiological survey run jointly by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. EPA has found elevated radiation on residential properties in the Town of Niagara, a legacy of Manhattan Project-era waste handling in the area. Homeowners organized as Save Our Backyards Niagara have asked the state to declare the neighborhood a state Superfund site and to help them relocate. The dispute became a governor's-race issue in July and August 2026. Hochul wrote to EPA on July 14 urging it to expedite test results, blaming the "wheels of federal bureaucracy." EPA Region 2 Administrator Mike Martucci first called her delay claim an "outright lie," then wrote back on Aug 10 saying federal work was already accelerated: since July 23, EPA and state teams had visited more than 1,200 properties, obtained access from 756 homeowners, and screened 350, working seven days a week. Blakeman visited the affected streets with Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt on Aug 8 and accused Hochul of failing to "take charge" of a crisis in her own home region. Hochul said on Aug 13 she would not visit because others had "politicize[d] their cries for help" and that she was leaving the work to state experts. Ortt has introduced legislation (S.10672) to move radioactive waste under the state Hazardous Waste Superfund; Hochul aides say EPA is better equipped for radiological cleanups and that the change would require additional specialized DEC staff and slow response. As of Aug 16, 2026, no Superfund designation, relocation assistance, or gubernatorial visit has been announced.
The case on each side
Hochul's office says she pushed for the joint DEC-EPA assessment before it became a campaign issue, directed a surge of DEC and State Incident Management Team resources, and formally pressed EPA on July 14 to speed up results. Her aides argue EPA is better equipped than the state for radiological cleanups and that visiting the neighborhood would turn residents' concerns into a political event. EPA says the federal side is already working seven days a week and has screened 350 of more than 1,200 properties visited since July 23.
Affected homeowners and Save Our Backyards Niagara say the governor, who is from the region, has not met with them, has not backed a state Superfund designation, and has not offered relocation help. Blakeman and Ortt argue the state has taken a hands-off posture and are pushing to amend the state superfund law to cover radiological contamination. EPA's regional administrator publicly disputed Hochul's account of federal delays, calling one claim an outright lie.