Stephen and Betsy Myers collection of citizens resistance to the placement of a low level radioactive dump site, 1989-2000.
Collection Number: 6503

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Stephen and Betsy Myers collection of citizens resistance to the placement of a low level radioactive dump site, 1989-2000.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
6503
Abstract:
Correspondence, legal documents, and other records relating to the protests in Allegany County; photocopies of newspaper articles from local newspapers and The New York Times and whole-page newspaper ads; subject files; audio cassettes of radio broadcasts, meetings, debates, and performances; buttons, postcards, stickers, bumper stickers, posters, flyers, and other ephemera; and papers written for Cornell University courses by Matthew L. Myers. Also, "Beyond Control," a photographic art show by Steve Myers.
Creator:
Myers, Stephen.
Myers, Betsy.
Myers, Matthew L.
Quanitities:
8.5 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

In 1989, the New York State Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Commission, under federal mandate to find a home for low-level nuclear waste, notified Allegany County in western New York that it was one of ten counties under consideration. Citizens of Allegany County successfully defeated the facility through a grassroots movement and organization, the Concerned Citizens of Allegany County (CCAC), co-founded by Stephen Myers; a separate organization for civil disobedience, Allegany NonViolent Action Group (AGNAG); and a legal case on Tenth Amendment grounds relating to the siting of a nuclear waste facility. A separate Public Health Task Force was also established to deal with issues of safety, health standards, and environmental quality. The legal challenge forced New York State to review the challenge posed by Allegany and Cortland Counties to the constitutionality of the siting process at the state level.
The issue eventually went to the United States Supreme Court, after three defeats at the state level and a petition signed by 13,000 residents. The decision, New York v. U.S. et al., determined that "Congress cannot force states to assume ownership and liability of low-level radioactive waste within its borders."
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Correspondence, legal documents, and other records relating to the protests in Allegany County; photocopies of newspaper articles from local newspapers and The New York Times and whole-page newspaper ads; subject files; audio cassettes of radio broadcasts, meetings, debates, and performances; buttons, postcards, stickers, bumper stickers, posters, flyers, and other ephemera; and papers written for Cornell University courses by Matthew L. Myers. Also, "Beyond Control," a photographic art show by Steve Myers.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Cite As:

Stephen and Betsy Myers Archive, #6503. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
SUBJECTS

Names:
New York State Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Commission
Concerned Citizens of Allegany County
Allegany Nonviolent Action Group
Subjects:
Nonviolence -- New York (State) -- Allegany County.
Civil disobedience -- New York (State) -- Allegany County.
Environmental protection -- New York (State) -- Allegany County -- Citizen participation.
Public opinion -- New York (State) -- Allegany County.
Low level radioactive waste disposal facilities -- New York (State) -- Allegany County -- Public opinion.
Low level radioactive waste disposal facilities -- Location -- New York state -- Allegany County.
Radioactive waste sites -- New York (State) -- Location.
Low-level radiation -- New York (State)
Low-level radiation -- Government policy -- United States.
Radioactive waste disposal -- New York (State) -- Planning.
Radioactive waste disposal -- Government policy -- United States.
Radioactive waste disposal -- United States.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Link to finding aid.
Box 1
Steve Myers Notebook -- Overview & Highlights
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
Used in the Belfast Rally
Box 1
Steve Myers Personal File
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Steve Myers Beyond Control art show
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Matthew L. Myers "An Examination Of How Tribal Sovereignty Is Affected By The Implementation of Federal Environmental Law" Honors Thesis for Cornell University
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Matthew L. Myers Environmental Economics Project Paper for Cornell University's ARME 250 The Role of Risk Analysis Assessment in the Successful Defeat of a Proposed Nuclear Waste Facility
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Stephen S. Meyers interview for ARME 250 Paper
 1997-03-21
Box 1
Matthew L. Myers Religion Ethics and the Environment for Cornell University's NTRES 407 The Defeat of a Proposed Nuclear Waste Facility in Allegany County
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Matthew L. Myers Untitled Paper, Interview and Copy of Supreme Court Challenge and materials for a presentation at Bard College
 1994-1995
Box 1
Jerry Fowler Legal Copies
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Statutes, Regulations - NRC & DEC standards for radioactive waste disposal
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Allegany County Non-violent Action Group (A.C.N.A.G.) Injunctions - injunctions against public protest
 Date Unknown
Box 1
David Seeger Legal Copies
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Allegany County Government
 Date Unknown
Box 1
U.S. vs. Allegany 10th Amendment (New York v. United States et al. Supreme Court Challenge)
 1992-06-19
Box 1
News Articles
 1989-2000
Box 1
Supreme Court
 Date Unknown
Box 1
Allegany County Soil & Water District - public correspondence
 Date Unknown
Mapcase Folder 1
Oversize newspaper ads
 Date Unknown
Mapcase Folder 1
Posters
 Date Unknown
Mapcase Folder 2
Stephen Myers posters
 1993
Box 2
Photocopies of newspaper articles in chronological order
 1989-1990
Scope and Contents
Wellsville Reporter, Hornell Evening Tribune, Sunday Spectator, Olean Times-Herald, Alfred Sun, Cuba Patriot, New York Times, et al.
Box 3
Betsy Myers file/Almond Chapter of the Concerned Citizens of Allegany County (C.C.A.C.)
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Sandy Berry newspaper articles
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Almond Chapter/C.C.A.C./Finances for A.G.N.A.G.
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
Betsy Myers
Box 3
Public Citizens/N.I.R.S./Greenpeace
 Date Unknown
Box 3
The History of Mudville
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Land Life & Liberty
 Date Unknown
Box 3
The Intervener
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Allegany Vol. 1 - Vol. 4
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Pamphlets and Handouts
 Date Unknown
Box 3
John Hasper file
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Copies of articles for handouts
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Petitions
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Miscellaneous contributions from individuals
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Letters
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Clippings
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Tomb (Pyramid Storage Concept)
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Waste Management, Inc.
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Mario Cuomo Correspondence
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Federal - Below Regulatory Concern
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Technical Standards
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Correspondence
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Letters
 Date Unknown
Box 3
Toxic imports - news clippings
 Date Unknown
Box 3
C.C.A.C. minutes/meetings
 Date Unknown
Box 4
Low Level Waste Promulgations
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Newspaper Articles
 1991-1995
Box 5
Newspaper Articles
 1989
Box 5
New York State Department of Health
 Date Unknown
Box 5
West Valley
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Trip to Barnwell, S.C. and related articles
 Date Unknown
Box 5
NYSERDA Interim Storage
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Clippings
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Leer, Accept, Resnikoff
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Government/Realtors/Industry
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Proposals - Fighting Back
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Senate/Legislators
 Date Unknown
Box 5
Southern Tier Environmental Protection Society (S.T.E.P.S.)
 Date Unknown
Box 5
"Fallout" info
 1963
Box 6
John Hasper file
 Date Unknown
Box 6
Siting Commission
 Date Unknown
Box 6
Health Department
 Date Unknown
Box 7
Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) Files
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Radio broadcast recording, Michael Hedges I-129
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Recording artists audio
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
BANDITS and Bob Bruce
Box 8
Steve Myers/Buffalo Radio Debate recording
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Steve Myers/Dr. Goldsmith Debate recording
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
NYS Siting Commission
Box 8
Recording artists audio
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
Fugs No More Slavery, Fugs (Self-titled)
Box 8
Low Level Nuclear Waste Public Meeting audio
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Belfast meeting audio
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Houghton/Chem nuclear audio recording
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Upton/Beir V audio recording
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Sellafield Report audio
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Meeting Appell audio
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Meeting audio
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Meeting Seeger audio
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Meeting with Cuomo/petitions video
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
Taped by Steve Flavin
Box 8
Allegany County - protest video
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
Including State Police and Siting Commission
Box 8
Unmarked broadcast video
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Facing the Madness video
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Dark Circle video
 Date Unknown
Box 8
The Nuclear Weapons Complex N.Y.S. Low Level Radioactive Review book
 Date Unknown
Box 8
The Cult of Atom book
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Health Effects of the L.L. Ionizing Radiation book
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Buttons
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
4 different buttons
Box 8
"Stand up Allegany" play by David Graham
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Bump The Dump Concert ticket stub
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
Signed by Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs)
Box 8
"Adopt-A-Drum" flyer
 Date Unknown
Box 8
Various photographs of protest
 Date Unknown
Chromogenic prints
Box 8
Betsy Myers A.C.N.A.G. Mushroom Mask
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Postcards by Sue Beckhorn
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Stickers
 Date Unknown
Box 9
50/50 Fundraiser Drawing Stub
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Bump the Dump bumper stickers
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Not in Anyone's Backyard bumper sticker
 Date Unknown
Box 9
If the People Lead, the Leaders Will Follow bumper sticker
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Find the Dummy bumper stickers
 Date Unknown
Box 9
"It's Time for Another Kind of Experiment" flyer
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Don't Dump On Me posters
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Posted - No Radioactive Dumping poster
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Posted - Don't Waste New York posters
 Date Unknown
Scope and Contents
By artist, Matthew L. Myers
Box 9
Allegany County Watch 607-587-8591 posters
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Public Meeting Jan 13 Almond and 10,000 Maniacs - Bump the Dump Concert posters
 Date Unknown
Box 9
Hazard Red Zones posters
 Date Unknown