It was a beautiful and warm summer evening, but about 90 people chose to go into the Glen Theater in Watkins Glen on Tuesday night to watch a film made by locals about locals who wanted to control the future of their community.  My Name is Allegany County is a compelling story about how rural residents organized to “say No” to plans of Governor Mario Cuomo to site a radioactive waste dump in their community.

Finger Lakes Bioneers  co-sponsored the event with Gas Free Seneca and  The Finger Lakes Sierra Club Group  and welcomed Jack Ossont of the Coalition to Protect New York, and Spike Jones (featured in the film) to host a discussion after the film.  A surprise guest was Sandra Steingraber of Don’t Frack New York who asked the audience to consider taking their pledge to oppose fracking by nonviolent action if Governor Andrew Cuomo goes forward with permitting the practice.  

Pictured are Kate Bartholomew of Finger Lakes Group of the Sierra Club, Spike Jones, Yvonne Taylor of Gas Free Seneca, Nick Vaczek, coordinator for Finger Lakes Bioneers, and Jack Ossont of Coalition to Protect New York.