Public Comment Period Open re: NYS DEC Draft 2020-2022 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters

To send an email to the NYS DEC supporting the City of Auburn's request to the Governor click here: 4pwlinfo@dec.ny.gov 

On December 29, 2021, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced the availability of the Draft 2020-2022 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) List of Impaired/Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Waters. A public comment period was originally scheduled to end January 28, 2022 and now has been extended and will end on February 25, 2022. The 303(d) List is a list submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) every two years of Impaired waters in the state that do not meet water quality standards, do not support Best Uses, and require the development of a TMDL.

The Draft 2020-2022 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) List of Impaired/Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Waters does not include Owasco Lake.  The City of Auburn and the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency have both passed resolutions to be submitted as public comment asking that the NYS DEC list Owasco lake as impaired on the final 2020-2022 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) List of Impaired/Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Waters.

• Learn more about the Public Comment Period at the NYS DEC website here.
• Read the Auburn City Council's Draft 303d Comment Resolution here.
• Read the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency's Draft 303d Comment Resolution here.

The City of Auburn's public water supply is sourced from Owasco Lake.  Protection of the Owasco Lake Watershed is a priority for the City Council and residents are encouraged to submit their own public comments to the NYS DEC on this matter.  Public comments regarding the Draft 2020-2022 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) List of Impaired/Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Waters should be emailed to the Bureau of Water Assessment and Management at 4pwlinfo@dec.ny.gov with the subject line: Public Comment on the Draft 2020-2022 303(d) List

To send an email to the NYS DEC supporting the City of Auburn's request to the Governor click here: 4pwlinfo@dec.ny.gov 

To mail your public comments:

ATTN: Water Assessment and Implementation Section
NYSDEC, Bureau of Water Assessment and Management
625 Broadway, 4th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-3502