The second lawsuit filed by Auburn, Owasco, and the Owasco Watershed Lake Association against New York State has been transferred from Cayuga County to an Albany court.
The Article 78 lawsuit was filed on November 22 and challenges the New York State Department of Health’s decision to deny the city and town’s efforts to protect Owasco Lake’s water quality through new rules and regulations for the lake. The lake’s watershed rules and regulations have not been updated since 1984. Local officials believe this lack of an update is contributing to the increase in harmful algal blooms seen in recent years.
An additional lawsuit, filed in January 2024, challenged the Department of Health’s notion that it cannot regulate nutrient management practices. That suit is currently making its way through the legal process.
Owasco Lake serves as the source of drinking water for approximately 45,000 people.
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