Auburn City Council Asks Governor Hochul For Help With Approval of Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations
Auburn, NY – At the September 9, 2021 City Council meeting of the City of Auburn the Council voted unanimously to formally ask for the assistance of Governor Kathy Hochul to intervene and expedite the New York State approval of the Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations. The rules were originally adopted locally by the City Council, the Town of Owasco and Cayuga County in October 2020.
In a resolution to the Governor the City Council specifically asks the Governor for the following in the State’s review and approval of the updated rules and regulations:
1) Transparency: The State’s review process should be an open and transparent process, similar to how the proposed rules and regulations were developed locally.
2) Inclusion: Representation from our municipalities shall be offered participation during the four-agency state review meetings.
3) Timeline: A clear timeline for internal New York State review shall be provided with milestone progress updates with an ultimate deadline by April 1, 2022
In 2017, as a part of the continued efforts to protect Owasco Lake water quality, the City of Auburn, the Town of Owasco and Cayuga County passed resolutions endorsing a project to update and revise the 1984 Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations. At the outset of the project, a Project Steering Committee was organized to lead the process by which the existing rules would be revised. This Committee included representatives from the City, the Town, the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council., the Cayuga County Board of Health and interested farmers.
In the three years prior to October 2020 when the rules were adopted, the Steering Committee worked together with staff representatives and Project Stakeholder groups, to hold eight (8) Steering Committee meetings, five (5) public meetings, and at least ten (10) staff meetings, in a coordinated effort to create and recommend a revised draft of the Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations.
In October 2020, approximately four (4) years after the first harmful blue green algae blooms were detected in Owasco Lake, a final draft of the revised Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations was adopted by the City Council of Auburn, the Town Board of Owasco, and Cayuga County.
In December of 2020 the locally adopted community concensus Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations were officially sent to the New York State Department of Health for formal review by the State. Since that time the City has been waiting for response from the State and insufficient response has been received so far. With their September 9, 2021 Council Resolution the Council formally asks Governor Kathy Hochul for her assistance with reviewing the matter and defining a State review process that will be transparent, allow our local participation and establish a timeline for the review process with a final deadline that the State will meet for final adoption.
The Town of Owasco is expected to adopt a similar Town Resolution as well.
