PORTER — As the Town of Porter’s Chemical Waste Management continues to court local community groups, municipalities and organizations to become potential recipients of more than $200,000 generated from a national fundraiser, one statewide policy analyst said in today’s “pay-to-play” environment, it is no coincidence.

Susan Lerner of Common Cause New York, a watchdog organization said, generally speaking, organizations like CWM or its parent company Houston-based Waste Management attempt to use political and charitable contributions as leverage to affect policy or receive favorable treatment.

“This is a classic situation. The best investment a company can make is not in facilities or employees, but by buying favorable treatment from publicly elected officials and in return receiving favorable tax breaks, or favorable treatment or in this instance receive the approval of an application,” Lerner said. “It happens all the time.”

In 2003, Waste Management submitted an application for expansion of the Balmer Road hazardous waste landfill. CWM’s application for expansion is currently on hold because state regulators have not established a set of guidelines for the disposal of toxic waste in New York. The 710-acre site actively operates in a 47-acre landfill known a RMU-1 and is seeking to expand to a 50-acre landfill known as RMU-2.

Over the past several years, CWM has donated more than $32,000 to local politicians or political parties, according to records on file with the New York State Board of Elections. In 2001, $500 was given to the campaign of state Sen. George Maziarz.

In 2009, three separate donations were made to the Niagara County Republican Committee totaling $9,900.

Four times in the past three years CWM has donated $500 to the Town of Porter Republican Committee.

In 2005, CWM handed down $12,000 to the statewide Republican Party, documents show.

Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, said donations no matter how big or small, could and often times do play a role in the decision-making process of elected officials.

“These organizations fork over money in an effort to influence policy, they clearly believe it is an effective way of doing business,” said Horner when reached by phone in Albany. “In my opinion, it is extremely hard to believe interest groups would spend millions of dollars, if they didn’t think it was working toward furthering their cause and to a certain extent I think it does. It’s not a guarantee, but it is an effective tool.”

CWM’s parent company Waste Management has forked over more than $340,000 to political parties and candidates across New York state since 2006, records show. This includes $25,000 to the campaign to elect former Gov. Eliot Spitzer for governor in 2006, $5,950 to the Niagara County Republican Committee in 2007 and Waste Management donated to both statewide political parties in 2006, including $7,000 to the GOP and $2,500 to the Democratic committee.

CWM Spokeswoman Lori Caso said the contributions are given in a good-faith effort to support political candidates in the communities across New York where Waste Management has facilities.

"Waste Management serves hundreds of thousands of households and businesses across New York state,” she said. “Through our recycling facilities, hauling operations, waste-to-energy plants and landfills, we are stakeholders in all of these communities and are the environmental solution in many issues that impact New Yorkers.”

Along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions, Waste Management spends even more on lobbyists, according to opensecrets.org, a political watchdog Web site.

So far in 2010, the company has spent $230,000 on lobbying efforts; in 2009, $980,000 was spent and in 2008, $840,000 was spent, the Web site shows.

“This is a pay-to-play political environment, politicians are for sale, policy is for sale and these companies are paying the price,” said Lerner from her office in Manhattan. “Businesses are certainly looking to grease the wheels per say, it is not bribery, they are simply looking for approval with their campaign dollars.”

Lerner said in today’s climate, it is not always about political contributions, but in donations to charitable or non-for-profit organizations, as they may carry similar weight in terms of buying public and community support.

Waste Management operates 30 different types of facilities in New York state, with CWM being the Northeast’s only hazardous waste landfill.

Caso said since 2000, CWM has donated more than $300,000 for charitable causes, not including the $200,000 expected to be handed out in September’s national fundraising golf tournament. The money from the tournament will be allocated to several organizations across Niagara County.

Lerner said as much as campaign contributions play a role, these types of charitable donations are used to purchase the support of the public.

“Human beings in general tend to feel favorably about people who do them favors, for example, you have an uncle who gives you big checks on your birthday you have a warm feeling toward that uncle, so when these businesses give out money to charities or other groups, the public begins to develop a warm feeling toward them,” Lerner said.

Caso said differently.

"We are proud to sponsor local events like the Cabbage Festival, the Ransomville Summer Concert Series, Ransomville Speedway Big Block Race, the Niagara PAL Steakout and the Lewiston Smelt Festival,” she said. “We have been supportive of local veterans groups, local volunteer fire companies, EquiStar Therapeutic Riding Camp, and have provided computers to local elementary schools. Our employees are raising families in this area and we are proud to support the many wonderful organizations that impact our community in a very positive way."

CWM is currently searching for suitors to benefit from its golf tournament. The Town of Lewiston and the Lewiston-Porter School Board have turned down the donations, citing the fact board members have opposed expansion of the landfill, a decision Lerner called responsible.

Lerner said it is important for not only the public, but elected officials to take a stand and force reform, because ultimately the burden lies upon the politician.

“We need to be particular vigilant with our elected officials who receive the money, we need to look at how we police our camping finance limits,” Lerner said.

Niagara County Republican Party Chairman Michael J. Norris did not return calls for comments regarding the donations made to the party, but Republican Committee Vice-Chairman Jim Heuer was reached and said he is not familiar with how donations in the party are handled.

“I am never privy to the donations that come into the party, we have a treasurer and a chairman who is more familiar with the amounts of money and how it is spent,” Heuer said.

Waste Management run facilities statewide

Landfills

Chaffee Landfill

High Acres Landfill  ( Fairport )

Mill Seat Landfill - (Bergen)

CWM Model City

 

Collection and Transfer Operations

Albany Hauling

Albany Transfer Station

Gun Hill Transfer Station (Bronx)

Harlem River Yard Transfer Station (Bronx)

Binghamton Hauling

Depew Transfer Station

Buffalo Hauling (West Seneca)

Utica Hauling

Watertown Hauling

BQE Transfer Station (Brooklyn)

Varick 1 Transfer Station (Brooklyn)

Varick 2 Transfer Station (Brooklyn)

Rochester Hauling

Syracuse Hauling

Review Ave Transfer Station (Long Island City)

A-1 Compaction and Transfer (Yonkers)

A-1 Yonkers Hauling

Kingston Hauling

Ft. Edward Transfer Station

 

Municipal Recovery Facilities

Broome County MRF

WM of NY (Depew)

Syracuse MRF

Tompkins County MRF

WM of Eastern NY Fort Edward)

 

Waste-to-Energy-Plants

Wheelabrator (Hudson Falls)

Wheelabrator (Peekskill)