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Chautauqua County, New York: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Chautauqua County is 154.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Esophagus deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 923 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (248), Rail grade crossing (175), Large hazardous waste generator (134). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 42.281, -79.394.

How this county ranks in New York

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Chautauqua County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Esophagus	New cases	7.9	4.6	1.72xSignificant	6.1 to 10.1	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	5.8	3.7	1.57xSignificant	4.3 to 7.8	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	28.3	18.7	1.51xSignificant	25 to 32	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	38.8	30.2	1.28xSignificant	34.9 to 43	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.3	3.4	1.26x	3.1 to 6	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	29.9	23.8	1.26xSignificant	26.1 to 34.1	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	64.3	51.8	1.24xSignificant	59.3 to 69.7	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	21.1	17.9	1.18xSignificant	18 to 24.8	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	17	14.5	1.17x	14.2 to 20.2	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	515	453.4	1.14xSignificant	499.5 to 530.8	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	14.6	13	1.12x	11.8 to 17.9	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	154.3	143.2	1.08xSignificant	146.2 to 162.6	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	4.4	4.1	1.07x	3.1 to 6	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	11.9	11.3	1.05x	9.7 to 14.5	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.3	6.2	1.02x	4.5 to 8.4	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.5	6.6	0.98x	4.8 to 8.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.7	18.5	0.96x	14.9 to 20.9	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.9	2	0.95x	1.1 to 3.1	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.9	13.9	0.93x	10.6 to 15.6	2019-2023
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	15	16.4	0.91x	8.6 to 24.4	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	4.8	5.7	0.84x	3.4 to 6.5	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4	4.8	0.83x	2.8 to 5.5	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	3.5	4.4	0.8x	2.4 to 5.1	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	6.1	8.7	0.7x	4.7 to 8	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	4.4	6.6	0.67x	3.1 to 6.1	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Chautauqua County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	9,667.1	9,842.6	-2%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	75.7	75.3	+1%	years
Child mortality	39	59.8	-35%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.6	6.2	+6%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	86.3	96.9	-11%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	45.1	28.6	+58%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde12.8 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.92 per million
Acetaldehyde1.23 per million
Benzene1.18 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 356 days: 317 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 36, peak 108.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

923 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit248
Rail grade crossing175
Large hazardous waste generator134
Air permit holder (minor source)110
Small hazardous waste generator58
Gas station (mapped facility)46
Brownfield property33
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)25
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)23
TRI reporting facility20
Public airport8
Scrapyard (mapped facility)6
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)6
Major air pollution source5
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Hazardous waste transporter4
Heliport4
Commercial airport2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Wind power plant2
EPA air quality monitor1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Biomass power plant1
Coal power plant1
Gas power plant1
Solar power plant1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Dunkirk Specialty Steel Llc, Dunkirk
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110016752272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Dunkirk Specialty Steel Llc, Dunkirk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitric acid, Nickel, Chromium, Manganese and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,345 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14048DNKRK88HOW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Special Metals Corp, Dunkirk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel, Cobalt. Reports carcinogens. 911 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14048SPCLMWILLO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Wells Enterprises Inc, Dunkirk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Nitric acid, Peracetic acid. 37,911 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14048DNKRK1ICEC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Dunkirk Generating Plant, Dunkirk
Coal power plant.
Record ID 2554 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Severity 6.4
Cummins Inc Jamestown Engine Plant, Lakewood
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers, Copper compounds, Zinc compounds. 23,348 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14750CMMNS4720B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.4
Cummins Inc Jamestown Engine Plant, Lakewood
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000328333 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Renold Inc, Westfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 18,005 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14787RNLDNBOURN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Jamestown Wwtp, Jamestown
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $2,780.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006621147 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Dunkirk Specialty Steel Llc, Dunkirk
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110016752272 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Blackstone Advanced Technologies Llc, Jamestown
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 76 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14701BLCKS1BLAC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
Rhi Monofrax Ltd, Falconer
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000328306 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Welch Foods Inc., Westfield
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 2,500 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 1478WWLCHF1NPRT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.6
Dunkirk Wastewater Treatment Facility, Dunkirk
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000724100 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Crossett, Inc., Kennedy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $3,900.
EPA FRS registry ID 110030923133 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Townline Auto Parts, Jamestown
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,300.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070066987 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Rauh Aggregate Mine, Cassadaga
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $1,160.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070562453 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Nestle Purina Pet Care Company, Dunkirk
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000326479 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Hope'S Windows Inc., Jamestown
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Copper, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 10 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14701HPSRC84HOP (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.3
Welchs Foods Inc, Westfield
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070059046 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.2
Blackstone Business Enterprises Inc, Jamestown
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001567055 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Dawson Metal Company Inc, Jamestown
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110004338182 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Hope'S Windows Inc. - Allen St Facility, Falconer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium. 512 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 1473WHPSWN262AL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Monofrax Llc, Falconer
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region). 500 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 14733MNFRX501NE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Special Metals Corp, Dunkirk
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001142228 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Lakeview Correctional Facility, Brocton
EPA FRS registry ID
110004494431
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Chautauqua County

New York state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Chautauqua County, and their findings.
New York vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
New York health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
New York environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
New York drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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