RAVENA, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A local community is up in arms after learning about a proposal to bring tons of garbage from out of state to be shredded and burned in their backyards.

Dozens of community members attended a press conference at Coeymans Town Hall Wednesday morning to express their opposition to the proposal.

The Connecticut state legislature shut down Hartford’s outdated garbage incinerator and directed the state’s department of energy and environmental protection to find a new way to get rid of the trash that’s compiled by 70 different municipalities.

The legislature has since narrowed it down to three different proposals. One involves shipping the 116,000 tons of trash to the Lafarge Holcim Cement Plant in Ravena every year for the next 30 years. It would be shredded and burned as “processed engineer fuel” that would power the cement kiln.

Many community members strongly opposed the plan and said they don’t want to be breathing in the pollution it could cause. A decision is expected in four days, and town officials said they only found out about the proposal two weeks ago.

Now, they’re doing everything they can to prevent it from passing.

When they confronted Lafarge officials, they claimed they knew of no such plans. So town officials told them they should immediately send a letter to the governor to clarify that they are not interested. But over a week later and there’s still no sign of any letter.

“If Lafarge really, really means that, then horray!” former EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck said. “But let’s get it in writing guys and gals.”

“We are totally opposed to any burning of trash, and we will do whatever we can to stop it,” Coeymans Town Supervisor Phil Crandall said.

“I don’t know why no one is here from Lafarge or mustang,” Christine Primomo, of Coeymans, said. “I was very surprised to see they did not attend.”

The proposal deadline is December 31.