New York salt mine’s rail project concerns Senecas

GROVELAND, N.Y. (AP) – A company’s plan to extend a rail line at its western New York salt mine is raising concerns among American Indians about potential damage to culturally sensitive sites.

American Rock Salt’s proposal for its huge mine in Livingston County has already been approved by the state’s environmental conservation agency and is being reviewed by federal officials. The company says it needs to extend the rail operation to meet demand for its road salt.

Representatives of the Seneca Nation of Indians and the Tonawanda-Seneca Nation say state officials have failed to consult with the nations before approving the expansion of the company’s rail siding in Groveland, 35 miles south of Rochester.

The company’s property was formerly a Seneca village, and the Senecas fear the project could disturb unmarked burial sites and other culturally sensitive areas.

–––

Information from: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, http://www.democratandchronicle.com