A battle has been ongoing in Haldimand County since early 2004 when a group of local residents in Cayuga formed the group Haldimand Against Landfill Transfers (HALT). At the time the committee was formed Councillor Buck Sloat sat on the committee representing Haldimand County.
In 2005 Haldimand County Council supported the efforts of HALT by giving the group $40,000.00 to assist with their legal fees in fighting the re-activation of the Edwards Landfill in Cayuga.
In the fall of 2008, Six Nations joined in the battle to stop the dump.
On September 24, 2009 Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer received a letter from Chief William Montour of the Six Nations of the Grand River asking for Council's support in opposing the reactivation of the Edwards Landfill site in Cayuga.
Chief Montour
goes on to state in his letter that he realizes that the County's hands are tied and that the developer has successfully gone through Ontario's process, however Montour states, "this does not mean your Council needs to support the reactivation of Edwards Landfill".
"It is crucial that our Councils come together to discuss what we have in common," said Montour, what we have in common right now is a need to oppose reactivation of Edwards Landfill due to environmental and health concerns.
There was concern by some members of council regarding a second letter from Chief Montour. The letter was addressed to the receiver of the landfill site and a copy of this letter was sent to Mayor Trainer. The second letter detailed Six Nation's cultural, sustenance and other rights by way of the 1701 Treaty of Ft. Albany and the Six Nations rights and interest in relation to lands six miles either side of the Grand River known as the Haldimand Tract.
In response to the first letter from Chief Montour, Council voted in favour of sending a letter to the Ministry of Environment.