WJQZ radio news director Michael Baldwin is shown at one of the protests as troopers make arrests. WJQZ first broke the story on potential locations on a Saturday afternoon after it (quite by accident) learned of the potential locations being targeted in Allegany County by the Low Level Radioactive Waste Siting Commission. The story broke with a special report and interview at 12 p.m. From then on, Baldwin became a frequent source for the Associated Press and TV stations in Buffalo and Rochester.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Allegany County, NY, became an area for one of the most significant grassroots environmental protests in the state’s history—Bump the Dump. The movement came about in response to a state proposal to place a nuclear waste dump in rural Allegany County. Community members united to fight against this, using traditional organizing methods—flyers, phone trees, town hall meetings, and word-of-mouth.
Without the power of social media, activists relied on determination, door-to-door outreach, and mass demonstrations. Their efforts gained a lot of attention and ultimately the state abandoned the project in 1990. Bump the Dump remains a testament to the power of grassroots activism in Allegany County, inspiring future movements and proving that even a small, rural community can stand up to powerful interests and win. Join us as we learn about this campaign and honor those who boldly stood up for a safer environment here in Allegany County.
WJQZ radio recorded a public event at the Belfast School, later known as the Belfast 5,000 as residents swamped the school and parking lots to hear from state officials. Throughout the night, WJQZ shared the audio with the Wellsville daily Reporter so they could have access to accurate, word-for-word quotes.
Join us as we learn more about this campaign, discuss how it relates to us today, and honor those who worked so hard to make our environment safer for all of us. We will wrap up the event with an art build!
Note: most of the event information is from a press release. I am in no way suggesting I am a part of the program.
