Come to the Belmont Free Library from 12noon til
From the CALC,
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.
On April 5, 2025, Cattaraugus-Allegany Liberation Collective (CALC) will host an event to celebrate Bump the Dump’s 35th Anniversary. At the event, community members will 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. The day will wrap up with an art build!
For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/BumpTheDump35 or send an email to the Collective at CalcCrew@proton.me
