BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – As the Bills take the field Thursday night against the New England Patriots, Erie County lawmakers are pouring over more than two thousand documents — all related to the environmental review of a new Bills stadium.
County legislators indicate it will take some time to get through all the documents, then the review will be put up for a vote.
On Thanksgiving Eve — the Erie County Executive’s Office submitted more than 2,000 documents, made up of reports and pictures to the Erie County legislature, on the environmental review of the new Bills stadium.
“It’s definitely a lot, it’s a lot to digest that’s why it’s going to take some time to look it over,” said Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson, a Democrat.
The environmental review details no serious environmental impacts of a 60,000 seat stadium, with no dome. In fact, the plans say the new stadium would be better for the environment than Highmark Stadium with better drainage and less air pollution since there were would be less capacity in the new stadium and fewer fans driving to the game.
The review also says the new stadium would be more energy efficient. Still, lawmakers will eventually have their say.
“If there’s something we’re not agreeing to, we will caucus figure that out and take that information back to the powers that be to inform them on how we feel about that,” Johnson said.
“Yes, we’ll be reviewing it and taking a look at it, I’m still waiting to see a final deal come through the county executive has indicated that he hoped to have a deal done by the end of the year,” said Legislator Joseph Lorigo, a Republican.
The deadline for a Memorandum of Understanding for the new Bills Stadium between the Bills, Erie County and the state was initially supposed to be Sept. 1. But, its been extended numerous times.
“The goal post keeps moving, the last conversation, I had with the county executive which was a few weeks ago he indicated that we should have it by the end of the year for a vote, again we haven’t gotten it yet so we’re still waiting,” Lorigo said.
The County Executive’s Office would not confirm this timeline. Erie County legislators are expected to discuss the stadium environmental review one week from Thursday then take up a vote. Construction for the new Bills stadium is still on track to begin in the spring of 2023.
Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.